The Delivery Girl
by needleplay
Summary: Born half Gerudo, half Terminian, Lirali is a young, somewhat ambitious woman unfairly held down by her judgmental peers and her own insecurities. As she struggles to find her place in a divided society, Lirali's life takes a turn for the unusual, and somewhat perverted, when she hits a young and rakish Zora named Kael with her boat. (Not involving heroes from another land.)
1. Chapter 1

A/N: One of my greatest loves has always been Majora's Mask, but I'm not big on shipping so I'm taking a bit of creative license with issues that residents of Termina would have to deal with. All I care about is sucking in my readers, so please enjoy.

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The Delivery Girl

By needleplay

Chapter 1

The sun had not quite risen over the drooping trees of the swamp, forcing her to rely on the dim lantern light to finish loading her boat. After shoving the last crate firmly aboard, she straightened up and wiped the back of her forearm across her sweat drenched forehead with a long sigh of relief. It was nearing the middle of summer and the humidity of the southern swamp was becoming unbearable. The full blast of the sun's rays were not even on her yet, but she knew that before she had finished all her deliveries, her clothes would be drenched. Despite that knowledge, she was smiling.

_Only three stops today, then the coast._ She thought with pleasure. A voice cleared behind her and she turned to look at the grizzled old man, one gnarled hand grasping the reins to a mule driven cart.

"Need anythin' else?" He croaked. She shook her head and pulled out a bag.

"Not for another week." She answered, handing him a bag of ruppees. "You'll get another letter when I need to make another delivery."

The old man slipped a finger into the bag to feel around. She could not help feeling mildly offended that he checked the amount every time. He looked up at her with his one good eye, the other coated in a milky film permanently fixed staring to the left.

"A'right. Have a safe trip Miss Lirali." He said, his words ending in a wet, hacking cough. She nodded and turned back to her boat as he led his mule and cart back to the road. Lirali shoved at the small boat then jumped inside as it glided out onto the murky gray water. Paddling out to deeper water, she turned and lifted the wooden propeller from the muck. A rope was wound around the shaft of the propeller, three sharp but powerful wooden blades ready to push her through the water. Lirali opened a small metal box attached to the stern containing several cogs and thin hoses. She held her lantern close to check for any rusting or debris that might obstruct any parts inside the gear box, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She threaded the rope through several rods inside the box then closed it, lifting a thick crank and attaching it to the box. Lowering the blades into the water, she braced herself against one side of the boat and turned the crank. It refused to turn for only a moment until it finally gave and the gears began to work. The blades spun slowly at first, then started to pick up speed, giving Lirali time to re-position herself in the middle of the boat and drop the blade of her paddle into the water. As the boat rattled forward, she began steering her way through the swamp and deep into territory where few humans chose to live. With only lantern light and the faint light of morning to guide her, Lirali had to shake her head roughly to fight off the dredges of sleep teasing her to lay back and let her boat drive on its own. That was pure foolishness since the damned thing was so finicky about staying on course and she would more than likely end up over a waterfall or stuck in a marsh full of hungry beasts.

_Just three stops._ She reminded herself. _Just three stops, then you'll be at the bay._

She smiled at that and refocused on her job. Time dragged by slowly and the sun gradually began its climb through the sky, lighting up her surroundings bit by bit. The swamp was not particularly beautiful, but Lirali had preferred anywhere outside of Clock Town. The more exotic the better. Her brows furrowed as she reconsidered that thought. No, the less people, the better. As she drifted through the muddy water, she caught glimpses of the Deku people, their bright glowing eyes piercing the misty morning. They had always fascinated her; living plants that often had so much personality. She had not met many in her life, mostly the merchants that she either made deliveries to or picked up from, but they were still interesting. They always perked up when she would speed past, not because of her in particular, but because they loved selling things to humans. They were not exactly rare, humans that is, but the swamp was not much of a tourist spot, at least not for humans that had money to spend on cheap items. Lirali knew for a fact that all the rich folk would either go to the northern mountains for the winter scenery and the beautifully designed cabins or the western bay for the seaside villas and salty breeze. Thoughts that would have agitated her disappeared as she sped past one of the tourist stations perched on stilts over the water, several small Scrubs watching her as she passed. She waved offhandedly but they did not respond. Lirali shrugged as she rounded a bend and entered a narrow canal, so close to her first destination. The dock appeared that would take her to the Woods of Mystery and she pulled alongside, tossing a loop of rope around one of the piers. Securing her boat, Lirali lifted two heavy bags onto the deck and hopped ashore. Not being an impressively strong woman, Lirali struggled as she lugged the heavy burlap sacks through the winding maze of trees until the tea pot-shaped house appeared. She had never liked witches, especially these ones. They always had something smart to say that made her skin crawl with anger. Lirali prayed that this unwelcome meeting would be over quickly. Hefting the bags onto her shoulder, she struggled up the ladder to the bizarre house, the rising sun already sending beads of sweat down her neck and back. When she reached the top, she dropped the bags tiredly and grabbed the knob. She did not bother ever knocking since one of the sisters was always there. As the door creaked open, a blast of acrid smoke hit her full in the face and she coughed, the fumes making her eyes water painfully. She coughed a few more times and grabbed up the sacks again, dragging them inside. The ancient looking witch perked up, her enormous eyes bugging from her thin lidded sockets as her small wrinkled mouth curved into an unpleasant smile.

"Oh ho, hello again pirate girl." The witch cackled. Lirali hated that voice; it was like dried twigs snapping over and over.

"I'm not a pirate." Lirali muttered. This only made the witch laugh again in turn making Lirali wince internally.

"Fine then. Where is my payment?" She hissed. Lirali dropped the heavy sacks onto the table the witch was perched behind, a loud metallic tinkling issuing from them. The witch was delighted and tore open the sacks, crowing happily as the colorful ruppees spilled across the tabletop. Several minutes passed as the witch looked through both bags carefully until she snapped her fingers, the money vanishing. She looked up at Lirali with a yellow toothed sneer.

"Very good. You'll find your potions already on your little boat." She snapped her fingers again and Lirali assumed that she would have to trust the batty old woman. She nodded and turned away. She was at the door in less than three strides when the woman spoke.

"Oh, before I forget. Tell those pirates I said hello. You are capable of speaking to them, right?" She crooned. "A half breed like you won't be shot on sight if you enter the bay?"

The woman crowed with laughter while Lirali's knuckles whitened as she gripped the door knob.

"No. I'll give them your regards." She answered, her jaw tight. The witch snickered and waved.

"Have a safe trip little fire blood." She sang as Lirali fumed, slamming the door shut behind her.

As she descended the ladder, the witch's barbing words reminded her freshly of why she cared little for the company of people. No, not people. Humans. Although a human herself, Lirali had always preferred the company of the inhuman. They did not mutter slurs to her face. She trotted through the maze of trees, slapping at the moss hanging from branches when it dragged through her hair in a fury. She dropped into her boat and yanked the rope free and angrily started the propeller. Stealing a glance into the least murky part of the water, she wiped viciously at her tears. For a long moment, she stared bitterly at the face she wished belonged to someone else. Looking away, she tried to focus on steering but the image was already stuck in her mind. Her skin and eyes gave her away immediately when anyone looked at her. Large, almond shaped and golden eyes, caramel skin that was too dark for the townsfolk but not dark enough for the Gerudo, and tied together with brilliant red hair. Such an appearance had dealt her a lonely childhood coupled with a terrible naïveté. It was made worse when she had grown and inherited the fierce beauty her mother's kind was known for, a trait that had made her the subject of cruel games. Instead of being an excluded member of society, something she had grown accustomed to, she had suddenly been seen as a young man's conquest since she resembled the unattainable female pirates. Having been tricked several times, Lirali was forced to develop a thick skin and shed what should have been playful exploration for her age. Now she wore a placid mask on the surface and let her anger simmer inside. She wiped her eyes dry and they fell on the long fishing pole hanging on the inside of the boat. A smile tugged at one corner as she thought of Great Bay, the one pleasure she felt could not be taken away. Lirali loved fishing and the peace it gave her. The thought of it centered her and she wished her boat were faster, desperate to finish her work so she could spend the rest of the day at the private inlet she had discovered, wiling away the hours on her boat or on the sandy shore until nightfall. Staring ahead, her grip tightened on her paddle and she steered through the swamp further downstream. Half an hour slipped by and her second stop finally appeared. The waterfall hiding the grotto was simple to steer behind and the merchant Scrub immediately popped out from his underground shop. He greeted her cheerily as she pulled up to the bank, helping her drive a spike into the mud turf so she could start her purchase from him. The transaction was quick and the Scrub helped her load four crates of beans aboard while Lirali noted the dreamy look on the plant man's face. It made her smile, his gaze a compliment since nearly all of her clients did not realize she was considered a blight to human society. As he waved her away, the dreamy look still visible now joined by a swaying motion, she scoffed to herself.

_Heh, maybe I should take up with a Scrub or a Goron._She thought.

Her step mother would probably be thrilled. She regretted that thought transition immediately, becoming bitter all over again. Before she could drown in those feelings, the pace of the river changed. The water started to clear and Lirali's attention was drawn to the boat. As the river began to widen, the stink and drooping trees of the swamp began to disappear, replaced by a sparser, thin tree line, giant roots beginning to rise out of the water. Lirali knew she was nearing Beaver Falls and that meant she was close to Great Bay. She pulled the paddle inside and grabbed the crank of the propeller to better steer. Normally it would take hours to reach the seaside, but she had traveled this river specifically because she could start in the mountains and wind her way through all of Termina's four regions in a day and end up at the coast. The boat rounded a bend and the river widened drastically, the current slowing just long enough for her to steer toward a fork; the northeast taking her back to the mountains while the west would take her to Beaver Falls. As she drifted to the west, the river narrowed and the current picked up. Lirali held tight to the propeller as the current quickened, rocks and roots starting to clutter her path dangerously. She reminded herself she had traveled this way a thousand times but her heart still beat an anxious tattoo. Before she could calm her nerves, the river narrowed again and the rapids appeared. Lirali braced her body against the boat, her nails burying themselves in the wood as she pressed her heels to both sides. The crates shook and rattled as she maneuvered between tree roots and around sharp rocks, a gasp escaping her whenever the boat tipped dangerously to one side. She dared a glance upstream and another fork appeared, this one dividing Beaver Falls to the right and Great Bay to the left. Steering hard for the open sea, having lost her first boat and breaking a leg going over the falls years before, Lirali fought the current. Her eyes widened when her boat pulled hard to one side, caught in a whirlpool violently. Jolted wildly, she struggled to steer towards the bay, yanking up the paddle to shove at rocks and roots that tried to bash into her boat. A loud snap and wild rattling warned her that a propeller blade had snapped off, forcing her to use the paddle to shove roughly against a rock to make the boat right itself and stay on the right current. Water sloshed over the sides and into her face but she saw the ocean horizon through the blur. The current began to slow, no longer fighting to take her to the falls. Steering with ease again, she rode the speedy current to the open sea, letting out a long sigh of relief. A loud thump shook her boat, pitching her forward and making her scream as the boat bobbed madly. She sat up quickly to steady the rocking vessel, searching fervently for what had slammed into her. There were no more rocks large enough or close enough to hit her, not even a scrap of driftwood either. She began to wonder if she had imagined the entire thing due to stress until her eyes fell on a long pale body floating limply in the water.

"Oh no…" she breathed, her eyes widening in horror as a hand fell over her mouth.

Kael did not realize he had been hit until the dizzying vertigo had set in and he was not sure how to breathe. He felt himself choking painfully as his body tried to figure out if he was underwater or above it. He could feel his arms moving, trying to swim, but they only waved lethargically unable to propel him anywhere. He thought he heard a voice calling him but his brain was a slurry mess of noise. The voice became clearer and kept yelling at him and he was suddenly irritated by it.

_I think I'm dying, why are you yelling at me?_ He thought angrily. A pair of hands slid under his arms and pulled, flipping him over so his face touched open air. His brain figured out to breathe air instead of water and his lungs slowly started to work again. Able to breathe again properly, his brain slowly righted itself and he was able to see again, although his vision was blurred by dizzying black spots. His heart thumped hard in his chest when he was able to focus on the red haired beauty staring down at him worriedly.

_Oh wow. You are far too beautiful for your own good._

A foolish smile appeared on his lips without his realizing. She was speaking to him and he realized it was her voice that had been calling to him. No longer agitated by it, the tone was musical in his mind despite her pleading for him to answer her. Instead, he drifted in and out of consciousness, his thoughts swimming with a mixture of nauseating pain and terrible arousal.

"Please! Please wake up! Don't be dead!" She begged, her voice panicking.

_I can't be now,_ he thought. _Not until I find out who you are._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

As he raced through the water gracefully, a long net dragging behind him, Kael had wanted nothing more than to go back to the Zora Hall and back to sleep. He was normally an early riser since most of the valuable fish he was assigned to catch could only be found before the sun came up, but his friend Luka had convinced him that he needed to blow off some steam. Being a rowdy type, Kael had hesitated only a moment until Luka had promised women and drinking. Within the hour, both were heartily drunk and having a good time. While they had been drinking, Luka had already moved far past chatting with the two girls he had lured to their table while a third had been whispering into Kael's ear. Looking back he wondered why he had not taken up her offer to spend the night with her, she had been quite a looker, but for some reason he had not been interested. That in itself was weird to him. When it came to young females; he had something of a reputation and could convince even the most prudish girls to open their hearts as well as their legs. He started to regret having not taken her home since it would have been easier to deal with his hangover if a female had been sleeping in his bed. When he had dragged himself out of bed and out of the Hall and dove into the cool ocean, he had started to feel better. The headache had slowly ebbed away as he fished, but the drowsiness persisted and had started to make him irritable. If he saw Luka later he would more than likely punch him in the head so he could feel the same way. Zora Hall had steadily disappeared as he swam further toward Great Bay's shoreline and he stared searching the coral shelf deep under the waves. Fishing always came easy to him, it did to just about any Zora, but he was one of the faster and better skilled fishermen. He memorized all the nooks and crannies where rare schools of fish would hide and was able to lure them out with little effort. As he made his rounds through a particular spot, the sound of a motor humming through the water alerted him. It annoyed him because motorized boats were excellent as scaring off fish and he listened closely to find out where the source was. He floated stationary for a few moments until he was able to pinpoint where the noisy boat was. Certain it was near the shore, he tied his net to a long branch of coral and surfaced just enough to zip through the water. More than likely, it was a tourist but if it was one of the pirates he would leave her alone. If anything was more impressive than their beauty, it was their deadly accuracy with a crossbow; something Kael was unfortunately familiar with, a nasty scar on his shoulder as proof. He was more than convinced it was a tourist and he had a few choice words to share with the fool once he found him. Closer to the shore, Kael surfaced to see who the boat's owner was and had barely taken a breath of air when he was hit. The blow was so sudden that he was conscious for only seconds.

_What…?_ He had managed before he blacked out, a woman's scream the last thing he heard.

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Lirali was trying not to panic. She really had not seen him when she had barreled down the river, but knew that it would be her fault no matter how the story was spun.

"Please… Please don't be dead…" She had begged over and over as she paddled to the unconscious Zora. She managed to flip him over and some relief flooded through her when she saw his arms were waving pitifully in the water. A grin had appeared on his face and he had mumbled something to her. Now the panic was back and she feared she had rattled his brains and rendered him stupid. Either way, Lirali did not want to leave the unlucky fool to drown and she grabbed a rope. Jumping into the water, she wound the rope around the cleat of her boat and grabbed his arms, pulling his limp body over her shoulders. She swam for the shore as if her life depended on it, which it very well might. As soon as the water was shallow enough, she dropped the rope and dug her shoes into the sand. Teeth grit and muscles straining, she struggled to pull his heavy body onto dry land. She dropped to her knees with a painful gasp and he slid off her back with a thud. Lirali managed to roll him over and pressed her cheek to his chest to listen for a heartbeat. Thankfully, it was strong but rapid. She pulled away and pried one of his eyes open until she realized it was futile to see if his pupil would dilate; she had no idea where it would be. There was a large bump swelling to the left of his forehead, an ugly bruise already purpling the pale white blue skin. A small cut had slowly started oozing blood down his temple. Lirali slapped at his cheek when she realized with horror it was a concussion she had given him.

"Hey! Wake up! You can't pass out right now, you won't wake back up!" She begged, his lolling from side to side as she tried to wake him. Lirali continued to slap at him until a hand firmly grabbed her wrist and squeezed.

"Giants of the four regions…" he cursed, "stop hitting me woman… my head feels like it's split in half…" He moaned as his grip eased on her hand. She let out a ragged sigh of relief, her insides feeling cold.

"Oh thank you…" she breathed and gave him a pitiful smile. "You're not too far off. Stay awake, I'll be back." She said and jumped up, running back into the surf to her boat that had been lazily drifting away. She sloshed through the water and managed to grab the floating rope and yanked, dragging the boat ashore. Leaping inside, she scooped up the crowbar lying on the floorboards. She kicked at the top crate until it clattered onto its side and dug the crowbar into the corner planks. She groaned from effort and braced a foot against the side, the muscles of her arms burning with adrenaline. The wood gave with an angry snap and exposed a bottle of red potion. She yanked the bottle free and jumped from the boat, kicking up sand as she ran back to his side. Dropping the bottle, she moved to her knees and very carefully lifted his head onto her lap.

"Open your mouth." She said gently as she cradled his head and grabbed the bottle. He obeyed as she pulled the cork free with her teeth. She touched the lip of the bottle to his mouth and he sucked in some of the cool liquid.

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The pain immediately lessened and he felt his senses clear. His eyes lulled open slowly and widened now that he was able to get a good look at the woman fussing over him. If he had been taking a breath it would have slid right out of him. He had seen human women before, both from the inland town and villages and even glimpsed the pirates from the fortress that was hidden away in the cliffs, but this beauty seemed to be made of all the right parts from both worlds. Her skin was not dark like the Gerudo, but a light shade of caramel that made the thick red hair pop even harder. Her eyes were a beautiful green flecked with gold and framed by thick black lashes. Her lips were a rosy pink while not overly full and her nose was small and curved delicately. The animal inside of him wanted to pinch or bite it to see if she would squeal. Kael was so engrossed in taking in her features he did not realize she was talking to him until her eyebrows furrowed in anger.

"I asked are you alright?" She snapped. He was stunned back to reality and gave her a lazy smirk.

"Better now, I think." He pulled his eyes away from her face to look around, his hand idly reaching to find the bump on his head.

"What happened?" He asked and felt her stop his wandering fingers.

"Don't. Just lie still a moment." She said. He did and closed his eyes, the pain no longer nauseatingly severe but still uncomfortable. They opened when he heard a sudden tearing noise. He looked up to see the woman's teeth ripping apart the red sash around her waist. When she had several long strips, she draped them over her shoulder. He watched as she balled up a piece and he winced with a hiss as she dabbed at the cut on his head. As she cleaned the cut, she started to explain what had happened.

"I hit you with my boat as I was coming down the river. I swear I didn't mean to, I was caught in a whirlpool. She explained. "I didn't see you until after I stopped my boat. I thought I'd run aground or hit driftwood. I wish I had…" She moaned. Her worry made him feel warm inside. The pain was now nothing more than a slight headache and his earlier arousal flooded his mind again.

"Well I'm not dead, so no harm done." He teased. She did not look amused.

"Please don't, I was really scared I had killed you…" she murmured sadly. "I don't need any more trouble in my life…" Kael was confused and curious about that statement, but chose not to ask what she meant.

"I'm not trying to tease you. I'm just trying to lighten the situation a bit." He assured her. She was not comforted.

"Can you sit up?" She asked and he responded by doing so. She moved to his side and held the balled up piece of cloth to the cut as she wrapped the other strips carefully around his head.

"I've bandaged a few wounds in my past, but they were all humans. Is there anything I need to do when it comes to Zoras?" She asked anxiously.

"Not really. We're fast healers and the potion did most of the work. You don't need to fuss over me, I'm alright." He said, but she shook her head.

"I'm sure you think you are, but a concussion isn't something that you should shrug off." She scolded. He could not help but chuckle at how cute she sounded trying to make him care.

"You wouldn't worry if you knew how often I get hurt." He laughed since most of his past injuries acquired either while he was working or because of his adventurous social life. She looked annoyed and tightened the strip she was working on and he cringed from pain.

"Ow. Alright, alright, I'll take it a little more seriously." He promised as his curiosity turned to who she was instead of his injury.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Hush." She answered.

He started to ask again but she glowered at him and he decided to wait. As she finished winding the last strip around his head his eyes rolled a bit. Her fingers so gentle against his skin he wanted to rest his head in her lap again and fall asleep, but the feeling was suddenly gone and she had started to stand. He looked up at her as she corked the bottle and dusted off her exposed knees.

"Are you going to be alright?" She asked those adorable brows furrowed again with worry. He stood up and smiled as he brushed the damp sand off his arms.

"I'll live. Thanks to you." He winked. He caught a hint of a blush on her cheeks and snickered internally. She handed him the bottle and he looked surprised.

"You might need it. It's a nasty bump." She warned. He took the bottle and started to speak when she spun on her heel and trotted to her boat.

"Hey wait! What's the hurry?" He asked as he caught up to her. She started to push her boat back into the sea but he grabbed her shoulder to stop her. Her body went stiff instantly when he touched her and he pulled his hand away. She was staring hard at her boat and an awkward pause hung in the air. He felt a wall slowly building between them.

"Why are you running off so suddenly? Are you afraid of me?" He asked. She bit her lip and continued to stare at her boat.

"No, nothing like that." She answered. "Honestly, I prefer the company of non humans…" she started and that piqued his interest, "but I just don't want to get into trouble…" He chuckled and she looked at him. He tapped the bandage.

"I guess I could ask for compensation…" he teased. She looked horrified and he let out a hearty laugh.

"Don't look like that! I'd never take advantage of a woman." He promised, then gave her an inviting look and added smoothly. "Unless she wanted me to…" She blushed again and that made his blood feel hot, but he knew he was teasing her too much and gave a light hearted laugh.

"I'll stop, I'll stop, but there is something you can give me." She had a wary look in her eyes. "Just your name and if I could see you again." He said. She stared at him in dumb confusion.

"Why in the four regions would you want to see me again? I hit you with my boat!" She protested but he only shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm not going to lie, I'm a little pissed about that but at the same time you pulled me to safety and revived me. Plus, you are very beautiful and I'd feel very unfulfilled unless I could see you again." He answered. She stared at him for a long time then looked back out to the sea.

"It's Lirali." She answered and hopped into her boat. "But that's all I'll tell you."

He grabbed the edge of her boat and she looked back at him in annoyance.

"Why? I'm not going to hurt you." He said, feeling a little hurt by her words. Her face darkened.

"I've been told that far too many times and been lied to." She answered bitterly. Kael was at a loss for words. He started to speak but she cut him off with a pitying expression.

"I'm sure you don't have any bad intentions towards me, but I'm not foolish enough to tell you more than my name. Please understand." She explained. He was about to ask what she meant, but she lifted her paddle and dropped it into the water and he let go of the boat. Kael watched her row away and wanted to follow, but his instincts told him to step back. He did not need to be told that someone or something had hurt her badly in the past. Whoever had done it, he wanted to find out so he could beat them senseless. Since that was a moot point, he instead watched until she had disappeared into the canals weaving through the rocky cliff side. With a sigh, he tucked the bottle under his arm as he swam back the reef where he had left his net. Even though it was foolish to think of seeing her again, all Kael could think about was her lovely face and the hurt in her eyes and how badly he wanted to see what her smile looked like.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Updates will be made every Monday night from now on.

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Chapter 3

As she steered along the overhanging cliffs, Lirali tried to forget the incident with the Zora as a worried lump formed in her throat. Guilt had been eating away at her because of the accident, but he had been so amicable after she had helped him. She could not help wondering why she had run away so quickly. Despite being a different species, he had disarmed her completely with his charming voice and flirtations. It made her wonder why he would bother, but then she recalled a particular game some young women often played during the Carnival of Time; the object being pursue a man of a different species before the night was over. It was not uncommon that such a thing happened, but people were careful to keep such proclivities a secret. Now that she thought of it Lirali admitted that if she had such proclivities, which she was certain she did not, she had found the male Zora to be somewhat attractive. Despite the obvious differences, he did not possess some of the common Zora attributes; almost no speckled skin patterns and he lacked the elongated tail that was part of the males' heads. The fins he did possess gave the illusion of hair framing his face aside from one long fin on both elbows and calves. He did have the fathomless black eyes and a mess of tattoos etched in his skin. She recalled that he had actually been wearing clothes too, or at least the semblance of them. When she had seen Zoras in Clock Town the women always wore a full body sarong or skirt and the men a short wrap around their waists. Lirali had not figured they would bother with them in their natural habitat since it would hinder swimming, but she did not know much about them. She recalled his legs being long and leanly muscled along with the rest of his body and a mess of tattoos down his arms with a few scattered here and there on his body.

_Why are you thinking about this? It doesn't matter what he looked like, you're not seeing him again._ She chided herself.

It did not matter how friendly he had seemed or how his smile had made parts of her warm inside. She warned herself that men had always been like that to trick her in the past, but no matter how many times she reminded herself of that fact he just seemed a bit different. Lirali let out an angry sigh and knew she was being foolish. She needed to focus on her work. Soon she would be in the cove fishing and she would forget all about the Zora. She steered the boat around the cliffs until the fortress appeared, the cold metal walls looming overhead. As her boat sped into the cove there was a whistle and she stalled long enough for the guards stationed on the battlements to recognize her. When they did after nearly five minutes, the large iron door slowly rose out of the water with barnacles and seaweed exposed coating the bottom. She rowed under the dripping gateway and into the port of the fortress. The harbor inside the fortress was a large waterway with four boats patrolling at all times, the women aboard masked and carrying either a crossbow or glaive. Lirali weaved through the patrollers while being careful not to disrupt their pattern, their hawk like stares following her as she made her way to the main dock. Several guards were waiting at the as she pulled alongside, tossing the rope to one of them. Once her boat was secure, she lifted crate after crate up into the waiting arms of the pirates. When she finished the inventory manager appeared as Lirali pulled herself up onto the dock to gather her money. The woman lazily walked around and looked through each crate as it was pried open by the other women and made notes in the book in her hands. She paused when she saw the cracked crate of red potions.

"What happened here?" She ordered.

"It was an accident. The corner bashed into a rock as I was entering the bay." Lirali lied. The woman twitched her nose with annoyance.

"A bottle is missing. That'll be deducted from your fee as well as damages." She hissed.

"That's not fair. It was an accident. You can deduct the bottle since it's not a full shipment, but reducing for 'damages'? That's ridiculous." Lirali protested. The woman sniffed and refused to look at Lirali.

"I'm the inventory manager and I see that a crate was damaged. You were asked to do a simple job and a bottle was lost because of it. I feel we should be compensated for your sloppiness." She answered curtly. Lirali's fists tightened.

"I already said you could deduct the bottle. The rest of your goods are in perfect condition. I'm not haggling over this." She warned.

"Are you really talking back to me half breed? Because of me, you have a job." The woman hissed. Lirali felt her blood boil and it took everything in her not to drive her tightened fist into the woman's face.

"No. I have this job because of your leader Talia and I don't have any problems talking to her face to face about it." She threatened. The woman looked stunned.

"How dare you…" she started but a voice interrupted her.

"That's enough." The manager and the guards were stunned as their leader seemed to appear from thin air. "What's the issue we're having?" The older woman grumbled as her arms crossed. Lirali glimpsed the nervous sweat that had started to gather at the roots of the manager's hair as she quickly started to explain the situation.

"The… _delivery girl_," She sneered, "is refusing to accept her reduced payment due to damages incurred while she was bringing in the shipment you ordered." She shot Lirali a venomous look. "I feel we are owed since she is incapable of doing a simple task."

As the manager continued to spew her opinionated indignities over Lirali's defiance, a noticeable twitch had started at the corner of one of the fierce Talia's narrowed eyes. Lirali had never known Talia well, but when she had started working for the she-wolf leader of the pirates she had learned to quickly gauge her moods based on either an eye twitch or her lips curling into a thin line. The twitch meant she was already in a foul mood but now her lip was curling inward and Lirali feared the situation would very quickly lead to violence.

"Shut your stupid whore mouth Ilya and get back to work. Your job is to count boxes, not manage money since you're too stupid to know the difference in amount between colored ruppees." Talia snarled, cutting off the woman's incessant gibbering. Ilya cowered instantly and ducked away as Talia motioned to the guards.

"All of you get this mess put away. I'll deal with this." She growled. The manager gave Lirali a hateful glare before following the guards, tail firmly between her legs. Instead of feeling smug pride, Lirali kept her attention on Talia knowing that the terrifying woman was far from done ripping apart anyone in front of her. Her eyes speared into Lirali and she felt her insides slowly going cold.

"Why are you causing a problem? I pay you to deliver supplies and keep your mouth shut. I made that clear a very long time ago Lirali." She snapped. Swallowing to keep her fear in check, Lirali nodded.

"I was not trying to cause a problem Talia. I was doing my job but my boat has been damaged and if I'm forced to pay some ridiculous fee or if my wages are garnished, I can't do the work you need." She explained. Talia continued to stare menacingly and uncrossed her arms to rest them on her hips. After a long pause she spoke.

"You do a good job for me Lirali. You don't ask questions and you go wherever I tell you to. If you looked like the rest of us, I'd have made you a pirate a long time ago." Talia explained icily. Lirali was not sure if she should feel grateful for the compliment.

"But you're not and despite the fact that I could easily replace you, I gave my word I'd make use of you." She finished and tossed a bag of money at Lirali's feet. "Take your money and go. I don't have time for foolishness." Talia growled as she turned and started back to the fortress. Lirali picked up the money and called out to the woman before she realized what she was doing.

"But my boat! I need it fixed!" She yelled. Talia stopped mid step and Lirali knew she had said something stupid. In a flash, the woman was in front of her with her hand fisted in the collar of her shirt. Being several feet taller than most women, and men to boot, Talia lifted Lirali off her feet and gave her a vicious glare.

"I'm going to make this clear; I am _not_ your friend and I never will be. So don't think you can ask for my help. Take your money and go find someone else to help you." She hissed, dropping her. Lirali did not need to be told twice and scrambled for her boat.

* * *

As she left the fortress Lirali's spirits fell. There would be no time for fishing since her boat was damaged and fixing it was going to be a main priority. She had hoped Talia would loan her a boat or at least a new rotor but she realized too late to never depend on the pirate leader. Talia had always been fiercely opposed to helping outsiders since she believed it was a sign of weakness. It made Lirali wonder why the fearless leader bothered to trust her. Once the fortress was out of sight, Lirali tried to think of places she could take her boat for the cheapest repairs possible. She wanted to fix the rotor blades instead of replace them since she would not be able to afford the hefty price. The main shoreline appeared as the sun was setting and she dragged her boat ashore. She did not want to leave her boat unattended for fear of thieves until she remembered there was a fisherman that lived close by. Remembering he had a motorized boat among his row boats she decided to see if maybe she could make a trade. Lirali made her way across the twilit beach until the rustic fishing hut appeared tucked into the small bluffs that lined the coast. The windows were lit up so she did not hesitate to knock on the door. There was grunt of a reply from inside and the door opened a moment later. Lirali had seen the fisherman a few times, a beefy towering man with a frightening face but a kindness in his drooping eyes which widened just a bit when they focused on her.

"My word it's a pirate! Are ya here to steal from me? I don't mind if ya do, just let me have a picture of ya before ya go…" He started. Lirali laughed nervously and shook her head.

"No no, I'm not a pirate. I just happened to look like one. A little." She explained. The man looked disappointed.

"Oh… Well, what do ya want?" He asked in a pout.

"I noticed you have a motorized boat. Would you be willing to trade for mine? I damaged the rotor blades this morning and I can't think of another place I can get a boat quickly." She explained. The man crossed his arms and studied her a moment, his overhanging forehead drooping in deep thought.

"Why would I want a damaged boat when I have a perfectly good one?" He asked. Lirali held up the bag Talia had tossed at her.

"I just want a trade and I'll even compensate for the damaged blades." She urged, adding a lovely smile. The fisherman swallowed audibly and Lirali knew she had him. He looked unsure and scratched at his bald head.

"I can't do that lil' miss. I need mah boat for deep sea fishing." He said. Lirali felt her heart sink. She supposed she should not have relied on charms to get what she needed. The man then gave her a crooked but pleasant smile.

"Ya say it's just the rotor that's damaged? That's easy to fix, wouldn't take me more than a day. If yer willin' to leave your boat here and pay for the repairs I can take care of it for ya."

"How much are you asking?" She asked fearing his price. He chewed on his bottom lip for a minute as he debated the cost.

"Hmmm. Ya got two hundred ruppees ya can part with lil' miss?"

Lirali nodded vigorously, ecstatic over the reasonable price. He gave a short laugh.

"Alright then. Bring yer boat by and I'll start workin' on it tomorrow. Should be done by evenin'." He explained as he extended a hand. Lirali smiled wide and took his hand, giving it a vigorous shake.

"Deal. My boat is close by. I'll be back tomorrow to check on it." Lirali bid the fisherman good night and went back to her boat. As she dragged it across the sand to line it up with the other boats outside the fisherman's house, her spirits started to rise again. As she pulled her knapsack across her back, she made her way out of Great Bay with lit lantern in hand and made the long trek back to Clock Town.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Sorry about this chapter being late. I've been taking care of a sick significant other.

* * *

Chapter 4

The last of the twilight vanished leaving Lirali to rely on the faint glow of her lantern and the distant lights of the town. The journey back to Clock Town was not difficult because of the terrain, but because of the beasts that came out at night. Lirali had traveled through Termina field many times and was always able to either outwit or outrun any of the dangerous wildlife, but she was always apprehensive at night. Armed with only the lantern and the crowbar from her boat, Lirali crested the hill leaving Great Bay at a fast trot. She kept a steady pace; quick enough to get home, slow enough to conserve energy lest she need to make a sudden escape. Thankfully, the field was calm and quiet save for the caw of the night birds and insects. When her shoes slapped against the cobbled path into town, Lirali instantly shifted into a sprint. If anything were to attack now, a guard would be able to hear her screams. Her insides turned icy at the thought of some animal tearing into her.

_Don't think about that! What is wrong with you? _She berated herself. Relief washed over her when she passed beneath the gateway, the tall stone walls instantly comforting her. She paused momentarily inside the town to catch her breath and the guard stared at her in surprise.

"What are you doing outside at night? Are you lost, Miss?" He asked as he reached for her. Lirali straightened and briskly walked away.

"I'm fine, thank you. Just out late." She replied quickly and avoided the guard's stare. As she navigated her way through the western district, she noticed the walls had recently been painted. A few artists were still at work on tall ladders or decorating the cobbled street as Lirali passed them.

_It's almost time for the festival. How fun._ She thought miserably. When she had been a little girl, Lirali had loved the Carnival of Time but now, like most things in Clock Town, she had personal resentment towards it. When she reached the last store of the business district she stopped and skipped up the steps to the door. The windows were dark but she reached for the handle anyway. She gave a tug but the door did not budge. A disappointed groan rose out of her.

"Of course Milla locked it." She muttered as she peeked inside the windows. The store front was dark but she glimpsed a light up the stairs towards the backroom. Lirali chose not to knock, knowing how angry Milla would be if her father was woken up by the noise. She had no desire to be left outside all night which meant climbing to the rooftop for the attic window. Before Lirali started the climb, she noticed a ladder in the shadows near the entrance to the north district. She dragged the ladder to the front door and laid it against the stone building. Assuming the artists would just drag it back later Lirali quickly climbed up to the roof and made her way across the tiles to the back of the store. The store was a square building with only two stories until an attic had been built and a trap door installed in the floor for more storage. The door had been boarded up when her father had bought the store, but the window was still accessible and Lirali had often used it to get in and out of the house whenever she pleased. She slipped inside easily enough and lifted the trapdoor. As she descended the ladder into the kitchen section of the house, she listened for Milla's or her stepsister Joelle's voices. It was quiet save for the creak of floorboards and Lirali made her way through the small hallway. She knew her father would already be fast asleep so she did not bother to stop at his door. As she passed, she heard Milla's deep snores and felt safer. The house above the store was very small, especially for a family of five, but Lirali usually stayed elsewhere unless she really wanted to be home. There were only three bedrooms aside from the attic, but she preferred to sleep in a bed tonight. She turned the corner and was surprised to see a light under one of the doors. Curious, she knocked lightly and a small voice answered. She heard the sound of small feet padding to the door and it creaked open. Norali, the youngest of the family, smiled up at her with a wide grin missing several baby teeth. She opened her mouth to yell happily but Lirali quickly pressed a finger to her lips and hushed her. Norali clapped both hands over her mouth with a giggle and turned to run back inside her room. Lirali followed and shut the door quietly. As she set her knapsack to the side, Norali hopped back into the chair in front of her small art desk. Lirali sat in one of the small chairs and slipped off her still damp shoes. As she rubbed her feet she looked up to see what her little half sister was working on.

"What are you doing up so late Norali? Your mom will be mad if she sees your light still on." She warned. The little girl shook her head vigorously and kept working.

"Nope! Mama say Nori could stay up late until Nori finish." She explained. After stretching her toes, Lirali stood up and joined her at the small table.

"Well what are you doing then?" She asked. Norali looked up at her with another toothy grin and held up her project.

"My mask for the festival! Mama say Nori big enough to go this year with her and Jo." She answered excitedly. It was a simple wooden base, no doubt bought from one of the salesmen that had started setting up shop in the festival area, but Norali had been adding her personal touches to it. Lirali took it from her outstretched hands and was surprised at the craftsmanship. She might have been young, but she was convinced her sister was destined to be an artist. Loops of bright color and colorful feathers had turned the boring base into a truly original piece. Lirali smiled and handed the mask back to her sister.

"It's beautiful Nori. How much do you have left?" Her sister sucked in her lips and chewed for a moment as her eyes squinted to think.

"Mmmm, I dunno. But," she started and hopped up to run to a chest next to her bed and rummage through it, "Nori making Mama's and Jo's too." She pulled out two more masks, both half painted, and handed them to Lirali. To Lirali, they were not as pretty as her sister's mask, but still beautiful. Simple, with a floral design on each.

"They're lovely." She answered as her sister stowed them away again. Norali looked annoyed for a moment.

"They weren't fun to make. Mama say Jo and Mama want masks that don't talk?" She asked, confused by her own words. Lirali pondered her words a moment then understood.

"Quiet you mean? Milla said she and Joelle want quiet masks?" She confirmed. Norali nodded but still looked confused. Lirali chuckled and sat back down in the small chair.

"She means she doesn't want feathers or stones or anything fancy. Like yours," she pointed, "yours has feathers and bright colors, so it's a noisy mask." She explained. Norali looked at her mask, her expression hurt.

"But… Nori is quiet…" She mumbled. Lirali laughed and shook her head.

"No, no, it's a good thing. It means you want your mask to be seen." She smiled and sighed, her head dropping to stare at her feet. "Like how mine was." Norali perked up at that.

"You're not supposed to know about yours Li-li!" She exclaimed angrily. She looked up suddenly.

"Mine?"

"Yours!" Norali huffed as she crossed her little arms. Lirali felt a pang in her heart.

"You made one for… me too?" She asked quietly. The little girl nodded, her expression still angry.

"Can… can I see it?" Norali shook her head made the shape of an 'X' with her fingers.

"Nope! No one can until the festival!" Norali ordered. There was a silence between them until Lirali gave her sister a small smile.

"Okay. I'll wait Nori." She said, a creak in her voice. Norali's anger disappeared and she looked worried.

"Don't cry Li-li. Nori can show you." The little girl said. Lirali shook her head and swallowed the lump in her throat.

"You're fine Nori. I want to be surprised." She assured her sister. Norali did not look convinced until Lirali stood. "Let's go to bed. I've had a tough day." Norali sucked on her bottom lip for a moment then shrugged. She ran to the bed tucked in the corner and crawled under the sheets. Lirali slipped off her leggings and vest and unpinned her hair. She turned down the lantern until the flame died and made her way to the bed. As she joined her sister, Norali curled up against her and rested her small cheek on her shoulder.

"Will you come to the festival too Li-li?" She asked softly. Lirali stared up at the ceiling boards silently. She blinked slowly as the minutes dragged by, unsure how to answer that question.

"I… I can try. I might have to work though, but I'll try for you Nori." She answered quietly. Norali sniffed and snuggled closer, contented for the moment with her answer.

"Nori wants to go with Li-li most." Lirali felt the lump in her throat again but said nothing as she waited for her sister to fall asleep. Luckily, she heard Norali's soft breathing several minutes later but the painful lump in her throat refused to leave. As her sister slept, Lirali tried to blink away tears that had been threatening the corners of her eyes.

* * *

There was noise from the kitchen and Lirali's eyes opened blearily. She felt that she had closed her eyes only a moment and it was suddenly morning. As she sat up, she could feel the soreness in her arms and legs from her excursions the night before. She wondered if she should have even bothered sleeping that night and looked around. Norali had already disappeared, no doubt in the kitchen with her family. Lirali was already dreading what the morning might bring. She slid back into her leggings and opened the door slowly, listening for the voices in the kitchen. Norali was chattering madly about the festival and Milla was answering her rapid fire questions. Joelle's voice was absent as well as her father's, but Lirali could not be sure until she turned the corner into the kitchen. She decided to dive in and get it over with and left the bedroom. Turning the corner, she bumped right into Joelle who let out an angry yelp. Lirali backed away quickly and apologized.

"Sorry Joelle, I didn't hear you coming." She said. Joelle glared at her.

"I was hoping Nori was joking, but so much for that. What are you doing here?" She grumbled. Lirali's brows furrowed with annoyance.

"I'm allowed in my own home." She snapped. Joelle scoffed as she tied a scarf around her closely cropped blue-black hair.

"That's not what Mama says." She sneered and shoved past her roughly. Lirali and Joelle had never been close despite her father's efforts. Joelle had been too greatly influenced by her mother and Lirali feared the same would happen to Norali. With that worry in mind, she quickly made her way to the kitchen. As she entered, Norali looked up with a grin and yelled out a morning greeting which caught Milla's attention.

"Why are you here?" She asked coldly as Lirali took a seat at the small table next to her sister.

"That seems to be a popular question today." She answered. "I thought I was still a member of this family." Milla was not amused by her response.

"Five people live here when there is only room for four." Her back faced Lirali and she took that moment to grab some of the food lying on the table.

"I recall giving up my room to Joelle and moving into the attic. So you have room for five people. Just because work can keep me gone for a week doesn't mean I've left." Lirali shot back, taking a moment to swallow a gulp of milk. Milla turned back to the table with a pot of coffee.

"You have a job so you should be able to afford your own place. You're at the appropriate age." She muttered. Lirali swallowed a bite of food and waited until her stepmother turned away to steal a mug of coffee.

"So does Joelle and I don't see you kicking her out." Those words seemed to hit a nerve and Milla roughly set a pot of soup at the table.

"Joelle is working for the store." She hissed. Lirali glared up at the woman. Milla had not been large when she had married her father, but she had grown plumper over the years and the same thing was happening to Joelle. Lirali wanted nothing more than to attack her stepmother with every barb she had in her arsenal, but Norali spoke up.

"Mama, Nori wanted Li-li to come home for the festival. Please don't be mad at Li-li." She pouted. Milla's icy blue eyes instantly softened when they fell on her daughter.

"Mama's not mad Nori. Lirali just needs to live in her own house now." She explained sweetly as she wiped her youngest child's mouth. Norali pushed her mother's hands away.

"No! Li-li can stay in my room." She protested. Milla hushed her daughter and continued to wipe her mouth. Lirali sighed and pulled out the bag she had earned from Talia. She dropped it on the table and Milla looked at it warily.

"There. I just need two hundred to fix my boat. The rest can be rent. Will that earn me a place in my own house?" She asked coldly. Milla picked up the bag and fingered through it. Her eyes widened and she stared at Lirali.

"Where… where did you get this much money?" She asked curiously. Lirali avoided her eyes and sipped the coffee.

"From work. Is five hundred a month enough?" She muttered. Milla looked back into the bag and Lirali could see the gears turning in her stepmother's head.

"Bring five hundred a month and I won't say anything. Any amount missing and I'll add interest." She added.

"Wonderful." Lirali answered and she pushed away from the table. She ruffled her sister's hair as she left the kitchen.

"Why is Mama so mean to Li-li? Nori likes Li-li." She heard Norali ask as she walked away.

"Because she's not like us and she makes Papa remember things he doesn't need to remember." She answered quietly. Lirali forced herself to swallow the anger and sadness that suddenly overwhelmed her. Quickly, she reached Milla and her father's bedroom and slipped inside. It was quiet and smelled faintly of dust and dampness, the only sound her father breathing as he rested in the large bed. A chair was at the bedside with an empty bowl and glass on the nightstand; Milla had already fed him earlier. Lirali slowly lowered into the chair but the slight creak was enough to wake him and she winced when his eyes fell on her. They widened and he sat up in surprise.

"Searil? Is that you?" He asked as he reached for her. She took his hand gently.

"No Papa, it's Lirali. Remember?" She explained worriedly. A look of confusion crossed his face until he lit up.

"Lirali! That's right." He nodded and looked around as he patted her hand. "Where's your mother? I have something I need to ask her."

"Milla's in the kitchen. Do you want me to get her?" She asked. He looked at her in confusion again.

"Milla? Your mother is Searil. Where is she? I haven't seen her in so long." He started as a distant look crossed his face. He slowly rested against the pillows again and his hand slipped from hers.

"Searil…" He breathed as he stared at the wall. Lirali bit her lip and cleared her throat carefully.

"No Papa. Searil isn't here. It's Milla. Milla is your wife and you have two daughters, Joelle and Norali." She explained slowly. The distant look faded and he smiled at her again.

"Oh, that's right. The festival is almost here." He laughed and looked out the window. "Nori won't stop talking about it. She's so excited." Lirali gave her own small laugh.

"I know. She was showing me the masks she made. Is she making one for you too?" She asked. He shook his head and waved his hands at the remark.

"Oh no, no thank you. I've had enough with masks at the festival, but I want Nori and Jo to have fun." He said and looked at her curiously. "Is she making a mask for you too Li-li?"

"She won't show me yet. Not until it's here." She shrugged. Her father chuckled.

"Don't forget a costume too. You have to catch a young man before the night is over." He teased. Lirali's heart twisted painfully but she continued to smile.

"I… I might Papa." She answered. He chuckled again and took her hand, patting it playfully.

"Make sure he's a good one. I need him to make the prettiest of my girls happy."

"I know Papa." She answered, focusing her eyes on his hands as he laughed. He coughed loudly and pulled away. He turned away to cough again roughly and her eyes fell on the large scar on the back of his head. She wished he would grow his hair our so it would hide the ugly thing. All it did was remind her of better times that he could never remember. He turned back to her and smiled.

"How is your work Li-li? Still busy?" He asked politely. She nodded.

"It's fine. I'm getting my boat repaired today." She explained then realized where she needed to be. "Which I'm supposed to be doing right now."

"You have to leave?" He asked as she pressed a kiss to his head.

"I do, but I'll be back home tonight maybe." She answered. He smiled warmly as she headed to the door. She paused to smile back before she left.

"Bye Papa."

"Good bye Searil." He said. Lirali's smile fell but she forced it back on and shut the door quietly. Tears started to gather but she jumped when Milla spoke, her figure standing next to the door.

"He's going to ask about you and her for the rest of the day now." She snapped her arms crossed. Lirali sniffed and wiped her nose.

"I'm sorry." She said and walked away quickly. Lirali needed to leave, to get back to work as quickly as possible. Her feelings were threatening to suffocate her. She stayed in the house long enough to change her clothes before rushing down the stairs and out the door. She stumbled into a man as she raced outside and paused long enough to mumble an apology. As she rushed past him, she saw he was one of the artists that had been painting the walls the day before. There was a group now, some on ladders, some working on designs for the pavement. She barely saw any of them as she weaved through the people, focused only on getting back to Great Bay and her boat. The guard did not stop her when his eyes saw the knife on her hip as she flew by. When she was outside of the town and well enough away, Lirali finally let the emotions that had been burying her free and let out a long loud wail of fury and pain.

* * *

When she reached the fisherman's hut, Lirali had regained control and knocked at the door. It opened as the fisherman greeted her with a smile.

"Hello Miss. Do ya have the money?" He asked and she nodded, handing him the two silver ruppees. His grin widened and he moved out of the doorway to let her peer inside. He had removed her rotor completely, the pieces resting on a table.

"I fig'ur'd ya'd be a bit late so I started workin' on it." He explained.

"How long until it's fixed?" She asked, her eyes staring at the pieces anxiously. His lips twisted as he looked away scratching his bald pate in thought.

"Hrm… Got some nasty twisted business inside the motor too, not just the blades…" He replied. Lirali waited for a real answer and he looked at her again after a long moment. "Be done by the evenin'. I promise ya." He grinned. Lirali made an uncomfortable noise.

"Are you sure? It can't be fixed sooner?" She pleaded. He put up his hands and shrugged.

"Sorry Miss, that's all I can promise ya." He answered and Lirali sighed in defeat.

"Alright I guess… Are all my things still in my boat?" She asked hopefully and he nodded. "Thanks. I'll be back tonight then." Since there was nothing to do otherwise, she decided to wile away the hours fishing. She waved to the fisherman as he went back into his hut and grabbed the fishing pole and tackle box out of her boat and placed them in one of the rowboats. Lirali pushed the boat into the waves and made the long trip to her private cove. It would be a tedious voyage without a motor, but Lirali knew it would be worth it in the end. An hour later she pulled the boat onto the white sand and took her pole and tackle box in hand. She hopped over rocks and crevices until she reached the remains of a quay. She stopped at a spot that had turned into a prime fishing hole and unpacked her gear. After baiting a hook and perching comfortable on a tall flat rock, she raised the rod and let the line sail through the air. As she reeled the line back slowly, her nerves calmed and the problems that had built inside started to fade into the back of her mind. All she could hear was the rolling waves, the crash of seawater against the rocks, and the caw of seagulls. Lirali lost track of time until a tug at her line brought her back to reality and she felt the hairs on her neck stand up in anticipation. The line tugged again, then again, then one more time until it suddenly yanked against her. She bit down on her tongue and started to reel in the bite excitedly. It was a pleasant surprise since she had never caught anything so quickly before. She felt the line tug hard, almost pulling the rod out of her hands. Lirali jumped to her feet, ready for the fight.

_Not today fish…_ She thought. _You're mine... _ The line pulled roughly again and her footing loosened. Refusing to be pulled into the water, Lirali yanked back.

"I said not today!" She yelled, bracing her feet and reeling in the line. Her eyes caught sight of a shape under the water and widened. The fish was huge and delight filled her. She grit her teeth and gave one more ferocious tug, twisting her body to take the rod as far back as she could. The line went slack suddenly and she fell back roughly. The wind was knocked out of her painfully and dizziness overwhelmed her for several moments.

_Did the line break? I pulled too hard._ She thought as her breath slowly came back to her. Sitting up, she let out a rough cough as she started to catch her breath. She blinked several times and looked around for her fishing rod.

"You have a really strong arm. I'm impressed." A familiar voice said. Lirali looked around wildly for the voice. "Down here." A hand waved from beyond the rock she had been fishing on. She scrambled forward and peered over the edge and gasped.

"Y-you!" She exclaimed, her tone a mix of surprise and anger. Kael smiled up at her, her fishing rod over his shoulder.

"Me. I didn't think I'd see you again so soon Lirali." He teased.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Lirali stared down at the Zora with her captured rod.

"You… You're the boy I hit yesterday." She started. An annoyed look made his smile vanish.

"Boy? Hmf, is that how you see me?" He asked. Lirali gave him a confused look, but shrugged off his words and reached down to him.

"Please give me my rod back." He pulled away slightly, his smile returning.

"Hop in and get it." He teased and her eyebrows furrowed.

"No. It was expensive now please give it back." She said again, her voice hard.

"Heh, you're no fun at all." He teased and handed the wooden rod up to her. She pulled it close and inspected it carefully, shooting him a dirty look at random intervals. After a thorough inspection, she looked at him again, this time curious.

"What are you doing here? Have you been following me since yesterday?" She asked with a hint of concern in her tone. He shook his head and slid his hands behind his neck.

"No. Part of me wanted to, but you seemed so flustered, I didn't want to scare you any more than you already were." He explained and shrugged. "I just happened to be in the area and I saw you fishing."

"So you grabbed my line and decided to tug?" She asked as one eyebrow rose skeptically. He laughed nervously and looked away in embarrassment.

"Yeah, sorry. I couldn't help but want to tease you. Plus, I wanted to see how strong of an angler you were." He explained. "I'm impressed, you must do a lot of fishing." Lirali could not help but smile and felt a flush of pride.

"Oh. It's a bit of a hobby I guess…" She started as she packed up her tackle box.

"Are you leaving?" He asked and she paused.

"I… I don't know." She closed the box with a sigh and looked down at him. "I feel rude for not asking, but what is your name?" He smiled and climbed up the rock to sit near her.

"It's Kael. I wanted to introduce myself when we first met, but you didn't seem interested." He chuckled as he rested on his elbows. Lirali maintained a distance between them and tightened her grip on her rod.

"Alright. Kael, listen," she started as she locked the box. "like I said the day before, I'm sure you're a nice enough character, but I'd rather be alone. I'm better off that way." He stretched his arms over his head in response and laid on the rock with his hands behind his head.

"How did you find this cove Lirali? It's a hard place to get to in a boat, especially a row boat." He asked. Lirali was annoyed that he had ignored her previous statement.

"That's not-" She started but he cut her off.

"I found this place years ago and thought no one else knew about it." He started and sat up to look at her. "When did you find this place?" Lirali knew what he was trying to do and decided to humor him with the hope he would let her leave.

"I don't remember really. I found it by accident a long time ago." She explained. "Whenever I would finish work, I came here to fish. I was always alone and it was always quiet so I made a small map to find my way back again."

"What do you do for work?"

"I'm a delivery girl." She answered as she sat down and pulled her knees under her chin. "I'm up before the sun rises and out almost all day sailing all around Termina." He nodded.

"Ah. That's why I never noticed you then. I only come here when I have nothing to do." He said. Lirali nodded then said nothing. She listened to the cresting waves for several moments.

"I should go." She said and started to stand. He looked at her and quickly stood.

"Please don't. I just found you again and finally get to know you better." He said. Lirali could hear he was hurt, but she could not help that biting feeling of caution.

"Well, I actually have to go. My boat is being repaired right now and I might get lucky and have it done before nightfall." She explained and picked up the tackle box. He followed her as she hopped over the stones back to the shore.

"Your boat? You mean…" He asked and realized why it was damaged. He winced when he understood that he had made her life difficult again.

"Yes. I mean." She answered as she looked back at him. "It cost me two hundred to fix it and I'm out five hundred because of issues in town." She explained as she jumped backwards onto another rock. He was silent a moment then closed the distance that had come between them.

"I want to help. Let me pay compensation for what happened." He tried.

"What? No." She argued as she hopped away. Her foot slipped and she gasped as she started to fall backwards. His hand shot forward and he grabbed her wrist to pull her upright. She stared up at him and he gave her a playful smile.

"If I can help you financially, then let me get to know you. Please?" He said as his hand slid up her wrist to hold her hand. Lirali looked away and thought about his proposal for several moments. She was in a pinch because of her boat and now that Milla was demanding rent from her every month any help would be welcome. Lirali looked back up at him and shrugged.

"Alright. Help me out and I'll let you get to know me." She said. He smiled wider and released her hand.

"How much time do you have to spare?" He asked. Lirali looked confused.

"What?"

"I need to know if you'll still be here when I come back." He explained. She nodded.

"Perfect. Wait here, I'll try to be quick." He said and faced the water. Lirali watched in surprised silence as he dove into the sea, his slim form disappearing in seconds. Unsure what she should do, Lirali decided to wait in the rowboat until he appeared again. Putting her tackle box and rod in the boat, she shoved it into the water and rowed out onto the waves to wait. She could not help wondering what exactly he had in mind to help her money situation. Part of her remained wary and she gripped the knife at her hip just in case.

* * *

Kael tore through the waves and dove deeper to make the trip to Pinnacle Rock. It was a familiar trail to pick up since he often fished there for rarer fish and he always found some kind of treasures to pawn at the Cape. He hoped his luck would find him something of value to give to Lirali to help her out of whatever she had gotten herself into. He had a feeling she might try and disappear before he could return so he swam faster until the tell tale spiraling rocks appeared. He weaved seamlessly through the jagged rocks and the deep crevice appeared. Kael dove into the dark depths and his eyes adjusted quickly. Sea snakes were notorious for attacking anything that dove into the deep pit, but Kael had been down the pit more times than he could count. Though dangerous, sea snakes were slow lumbering things compared to his kind. He sank slowly downward through the depths and listened for a rushing current or the churning of bubbles; noises that would give the beasts away instantly. Kael's feet slowly sank into the watery sand as he touched the bottom of the crevice and he steadied himself against the heavy water pressure. Slowly adjusting, Kael made long leaps through the water and searched for one of the many caves that riddled the crevice. He drifted inside one and made his way as far back as he could see. Sure enough, a pile of junk had gathered from the swirling currents and he started digging through the water logged wooden chests and the rotted burlap bags. He scooped up handfuls of colorful stones and coins and picked through what was actually valuable. A clear yellow stone stood out and he squinted at it closely. When he realized what it was, Kael smiled in triumph and pocketed it.

_This'll make her smile for days I bet…_ He hoped as he left the cave. Kael had not expected to be so lucky on his first scavenger hunt, but he could not stop grinning like a fool. He made his way carefully out of the pit and back into the sunlit waters.

Almost two hours had passed and Lirali had considered rowing back to the main shore when there was a loud slosh of water and she spotted Kael as he broke the surface. His face was beaming as he swam toward her. He pulled himself over the edge of the boat and handed her a round stone. The sunlight made the amber fragment glitter brilliantly.

"What is this?" She asked as her eyes widened, her fingers running over the luminous stone.

"It's amber. From the mountains, I'm certain." He started as he pulled himself into the row boat. "They're not easy to find, but I come across them sometimes whenever I do deep sea fishing." He explained while he reclined in the boat. Lirali could not help but be stunned and looked up at him.

"Do you know how much this is worth? Why would you give this to me?" She asked. He sighed in thought while he ran a hand over his head. Kael did not want to drive her away after lucking out on finding the stone, but part of him felt honesty was what was best if he wanted her to stay.

"Lirali, will you forgive me for being honest with you?" He asked. She looked surprised and bit her lip in thought. After a long moment she nodded her head. He sat forward with a kind smile.

"I am very attracted to you. I can't help it. You're not just beautiful, but I can see hints of a personality that is both caring and fiery and I want to see more of it." He carefully took her hands and she stiffened. The reaction made his throat tight. "You don't need to say it. I know someone hurt you in the past. I wish I could prove that all I want is for you to trust me and let me know you, but I won't force you to do anything that scares you."

"I'm not scared, I'm cautious. I don't feel as afraid of you because you're not… human." She said. "Just…" He squeezed her hands gently.

"Don't explain yourself. If you really want me to leave you alone, I will." He said as he pulled his hands away. Lirali shook her head.

"No. Just let me open up on my own. Until I'm sure I can trust you." She looked up at him. "Can you let me have that?" He nodded as a weight was lifted off his chest.

"Take all the time you need. Can I see you tomorrow?" He asked. She nodded after a moment then glared at him.

"Don't try and scare me again. I don't like it." She warned and he laughed.

"I won't, I won't." He assured her. "Let me row you back to the main shore. I can get us there fast." He took the oars as Lirali held onto the sides.

* * *

When they arrived back at Great Bay's main coast, Kael pulled the rowboat ashore as Lirali jumped out and helped push it the rest of way out of the surf. She looked at the stone again in awe and he smiled as he joined her side.

"Amber fragments are worth at least five hundred last time I sold one." He assured her and she looked at him.

"Why are you giving this to me if it's worth so much?" She asked and he shrugged with a smirk.

"Because if you're not having money troubles, then you can spend time at the cove and I can visit you maybe?" He urged. Lirali stared at him then back at the stone. A small smile curved her lips and she pocketed the stone.

"Alright. You can see me again Kael." She agreed and smiled kindly at him. "I'm at the cove in the evenings, sometimes afternoons depending on how busy my delivery route is." She explained. Kael forced the excitement welling up inside him to calm as he held out a hand. She looked at it, then at him curiously.

"A promise." He explained and she nodded as she took his hand. He let go of her reluctantly and started for the ocean.

"I'll look for you tomorrow Lirali." He assured her as he waved her off. She nodded and he dove into the surf. Lirali watched as he disappeared and wondered for a moment if she had made the right choice. She shook her head, realizing she needed to at least try and open up then turned to the fisherman's hut to collect her boat.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The noisy crow of a Cucco woke Lirali in the middle of an unusual dream. As she sat up with a long yawn, she recalled bits and pieces of the fading dream; something about a man in green clothing fighting a pair of witches that looked suspiciously like the potion hag from the swamp. With a shrug, Lirali promptly forgot the dream and got out of the rickety bed. She stretched lazily as the sunlight from the single attic window warmed her bare feet. After a few pops sounded from her joints, she relaxed and turned to make up the dusty bed. The attic was certainly not as nice as her sisters' bedrooms, but it was still a nice hideaway to her. Milla rarely made the effort to try and rouse her since it required climbing a ladder and she was too fat to attempt that, so it was always private. She slid on her worn out slippers and made her way down the ladder. It was still too early to go to the post office; Milla refused to accept her mail, so Lirali decided to dawdle until it was time to go. As she entered the kitchen, she could hear movement on the first floor and assumed it was her stepmother and Joelle opening the downstairs shop. Lirali put together a clumsy breakfast sandwich with bread, a hunk of cheese, and some dried sausage and walked down the hall to check on Norali. Knowing her sister, she would either be fast asleep still or already gone to either the Laundry Pool or the North district to play. She pushed the door open and sure enough, her sister was still in bed; her hair wrapped around her face wildly and her blankets kicked to the floor. With a soft giggle, Lirali set her sandwich aside to rearrange her disheveled sister. She lifted her just enough to straighten her pillows and push her hair out of her face then slide the covers back over her body. Norali made a wet snoring sound and rolled over and curled into a ball while Lirali giggled again as she stroked a hand through her sister's hair. Norali fell back into a deep sleep while Lirali picked up her sandwich and paused to look at the mask she had no doubt been working all night on. It was nearly done, the feathers and stones fully arranged and the looping swirls of paint drying in the sun. She smiled and felt a swell of pride for her sister and her talents. Part of her wanted to snoop through Norali's room and find the mask she claimed to be working on, but Lirali knew better and how badly her sister wanted to surprise her. Content to have placed her sister back in bed for now, Lirali decided to check on her father next. She knew Milla would be upset if she bothered him, so she instead peeked through a slit in the doorway. He too was still fast asleep, his arms crossed over his chest with his jaw slack as he snored loudly. The sight had her wishing he could stay that way, peaceful and with no more confusion about where he was or who she was or who his family was. Lirali sighed through her nose quietly and went back to the kitchen to finish her sandwich.

* * *

An hour later, Lirali made her way down the stairs into the shop for the front door. Milla was standing behind the counter and looked up for only a moment.

"Where are you going?" She asked disinterested.

"Post Office." She answered curtly as she took the knob and turned it.

"Please don't bother… your father… today. He had a bad night and I want him to rest." Milla warned. Lirali paused and turned to look at her with a skeptical expression.

"You never call him 'my father'. Why are you saying it like that?" She asked curiously. Milla was silent and stared at the countertop for a long time.

"He… He was upset last night because he didn't know where you were. I made the mistake of telling him you left because I was tired and forgot what that would do to him. He went into hysterics. He scared me and scared Norali with all the noise. When he calmed down, I assured him you would be here in the morning." She explained as she looked up and stared distantly out the front windows. Lirali was speechless.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because he loves you even if I don't. As much as it pains me to say it, I think he will always love you just a bit more than my two girls." She answered. Lirali saw her fingernails dig into the counter. Milla stared at her and Lirali met her eyes. They were cold, like always, but there was something else there. It was not love, it never would be, but it was something like a mutual understanding. An understanding that Lirali hoped meant that Milla would be less intolerant to her presence.

"I don't think that's true." Lirali started but Milla cut her off.

"Don't patronize me. Go get your mail and be on with your day. Joelle and I have work to do." She muttered. Lirali turned back to the door.

"Good morning to you too Milla." She retorted and shut the door. Lirali weaved her way through the ladders and people that were still setting things up for the festival.

_It's at least a month away. Why do they always start so early?_ She wondered but shrugged off the thought and made her way to the Post Office. If she was not there precisely before ten o' clock, the postman would be out the door and she would be out of work for the day. As tempting as the thought was, Lirali knew that she needed the money and a reason to keep busy. She reached the office at nine fifty and the door was thankfully still unlocked. Quickly, she entered the building to find the post master. Sure enough, the man was already decked out in his ridiculous white running outfit and red hat. He was just about to put on his knapsack when she cleared her throat loudly. He looked up in surprise and jogged to the counter.

"Yes ma'am, how can I help you ma'am?" He asked quickly.

"Good morning. I need any mail you have for a 'Lirali' before you go out." She said. He turned and, as if he were some kind of puppet, jogged to a shelf full of rows of letters. Lirali had bought an inbox when she had started her business and though it was a pain to come nearly every morning for her mail, she did not have to worry about anyone going through it. The post man turned back to her and zipped back to the counter. He handed her three letters and she pocketed them.

"Thank you kindly." She said and he nodded.

"If you please, the Post Office will now be closed until five pm tonight. Thank you." The bizarre man warned and shooed her out the door. She watched as he locked the door and started the shambling jog he made every day through the town. When she was bored with that, she walked to a bench to sort through the letters. The top letter was simple white envelope, the address from the swamp. It was from a business scrub asking her to meet him at the end of the week to help him move his inventory closer to Clock Town so he could open up shop for the Carnival. That was easy enough to do and she tucked the letter in her knapsack. The second letter was a flyer advertising the Carnival of Time. It was a noisy, bright red and yellow envelope with an even brighter invitation for all to come to the festival and celebrate the new year for Termina. Lirali crumpled that one up and shoved it into the knapsack with little care. The third letter interested her greatly as it was priority mail. She split the gold edged envelope open and pulled out a rough and wrinkled note. Her eyebrows rose in interest as it was a request from a Goron in the mountains pleading with anyone in the delivery business to help him with an extremely important shipment. Lirali knew she could not sit around and think about the request as she was always in competition with other deliverymen or women. She tucked the letter into her bag as she started to make a plan for her now changed schedule. First, she needed to go to Romani ranch to rent a cart to the mountains. As she trotted back through the West district she suddenly remembered the stone Kael had given her. She realized she could not only get a huge payment from the Goron, she could also sell the amber. Lirali immediately went back to the store. Shoving open the door, Joelle was behind the counter and lit up with a smile until she realized who it was.

"What are you doing back? Ma said you went to work." She groaned.

"Forgot something I needed before I go to Romani Ranch." She answered quickly. Joelle looked up in surprise.

"Romani Ranch? Hey, hey wait!" She called out and Lirali paused on the steps long enough to look at her step sister.

"What? I don't have a lot of time to fool around."

"Ma says we need to order more milk but if you get it we won't have to get it delivered. Can you get it?" She asked. Lirali grit her teeth in frustration.

"I can't, I'm going to the mountains for a job." She answered. Joelle did not budge and looked annoyed.

"I don't like having to haggle with those stupid delivery guys. Will you please just get it? I'll tell Ma to give you a third of the fee we usually have to pay." Joelle argued. Lirali thought about arguing more, but her sister had a look of desperation and she rolled her eyes.

"Fine. Get the order ready and I'll grab it when I'm back down. It won't be here until tomorrow, okay?" She warned. Joelle looked pleased and disappeared into the backroom. Lirali went back to skipping stairs up the second floor. After grabbing the amber, she was barely down the ladder when Norali appeared.

"Whacha doing Li-li?" She asked.

"Heading to work Nori. I'm going to the ranch today." She answered hurriedly. Norali's eyes lit up.

"Nori wanna go!" She shouted but Lirali shook her head.

"No, Nori. It's work and it won't be fun." Lirali explained as she thumped down the stairs, Norali at her heels.

"Nori wants to go! Nori can help!" She protested as Lirali met Joelle at the counter. She looked over the order and Joelle looked at Norali confused.

"Go where? What are you shouting about?" She asked. Norali stared up at her sister with a reddened, angry face.

"Nori wants to go to the ranch with Li-li!" She yelled again. Lirali tried to ignore her sister's whining as she checked the order again.

"You can't." She said again. Joelle looked at her little sister sympathetically, then at Lirali.

"Take her with you." She urged. Lirali looked up in shock.

"What?"

"Take her with you. Ma and I don't have time to take her anywhere since the Carnival is close." She explained with a shrug. Lirali grimaced.

"Milla barely trusts me with the store, why in the four regions would she trust me with Nori?" She snapped. Joelle gave her a dirty look then rolled her eyes as she rested her chin back on her palm.

"Ma knows you care a lot about Nori so I know you won't let anything happen to her. Besides, you go to dangerous places all the time and don't ever seem to die." She answered. Lirali grimaced again.

"Don't look so worried Jo." She grumbled and her sister gave her another look.

"Don't call me that. Are you going to take her or not?" She hissed. Lirali looked away from her step sister and to Norali. Her eyes were huge with pleading and excitement. Unable to say no to such a face, Lirali sighed and nodded.

"Fine. Put on shoes and you can go with me." She groaned. Norali let out an earsplitting squeal and ran up the stairs. Joelle watched her sister disappear then looked back at Lirali.

"Don't let anything happen to her. I'm serious."

"What are you going to tell Milla when she asks why Nori is gone? I told you I'll be gone until morning." Lirali reminded her.

"I'll say Nori is at a friend's house for the night. Make sure she doesn't go blabbing to Ma about where she's been. I'd rather you get in trouble." She sneered. Lirali was about to retort back when Norali clamored down the stairs.

"Ready!" She yelled. Lirali opened the front door and Norali shot outside like an arrow. Lirali paused long enough to give her step sister a wary look before she let the door swing shut.

* * *

"Can we ride horses when we're there?" Norali asked for the third time. Lirali had a vast amount of patience for her sister, but now that she was working it had started to wear away.

"No Nori. I told you, I have to do work now. We're just getting a cart to go to the mountains. You'll get to see Gorons though, how about that?" She tried, wishing her sister could be quiet for just a bit. This only excited Norali further and she was forced to listen to her little sister babble about how she wanted to see where they lived and what they eat and if she could take one home and on and on. Lirali felt some relief when they finally reached Milk Road and their tiring walk would soon come to an end. She had hoped it would exhaust her sister, but she had severely underestimated the little girl's energy. Instead, Lirali focused on the priority mail and the order contents it contained. She hoped that the Goron was not expecting some kind of entourage to escort his business and his person; that was something that she could not afford. She would gladly escort him and his wares to Clock Town and back if he chose to hire her again, but she could never be sure with potential clients or what extravagant desires they might have. She then wondered if she would even have time to sell the amber once in the village. Without realizing it, she thought of Kael and how she had broken her promise. She felt awful for accidentally lying to him, but at the same time she was not sure if it would matter to him. It made her start to wonder how he would feel when she did not appear at the cove. Would he be hurt since it would mean he was not worth her time or would he shrug it off and assume she was not worth _his_ time? Before she could lose herself completely with such assumptions, she noticed a fresh set of wheel tracks in the dirt once they reached Milk Road. She wondered if anyone would be at the ranch when they arrived and felt her insides grow cold. Instinctively, she picked up the pace and Norali matched her while not breaking from her rambling. The two entered the rolling pasture and trotted down the dirt path as the small house and the rest of the ranch appeared. Squinting, she could make out a cart in front of the house but it did not look like one of Romani's. It was an odd but familiar shape and once she was close enough she realized what it was. As she approached the house with Norali in tow, Lirali stared at the square boat that had been equipped with wheels.

"What is this thing Li-li?" Norali asked as she touched the boat.

"It's an amphibian wagon." She explained. "You use it to travel by land and by water."

"It's weird looking. And it stinks." Norali pouted.

"Well that's mean. Who's saying all that nasty stuff?"

Lirali was shocked when Kael appeared from beneath the wagon to glare at her little sister.

"Kael?" She sputtered. He looked up in wild surprise. A huge smile appeared when he recognized her.

"Lirali! What are you doing here?" He asked incredulously as he slid out from under the wagon and trotted to her.

"I, I needed to rent a cart and pick up some milk." She explained, still stunned. Kael continued grinning and put his hands on his hips as an eyebrow cocked teasingly.

"Are you following me? I thought you wanted to take things slow." He teased. Lirali's brows furrowed and she fought back a blush.

"It's a dumb coincidence! Stop doing that!" She snapped, but he only laughed as she crossed her arms defensively.

"I wouldn't say dumb, more like interesting." He said. "We happened to get a request from the ranch for live bait and fishing supplies. Apparently they've built a fishing spot and need to stock up." He explained. Lirali's feathers unruffled now that he was talking about business and not teasing her anymore. She was about to explain her own situation when Norali shoved at Kael and he looked down at her sister in surprise. She was staring up at him suspiciously, her short arms crossed tightly.

"Who are you? How do you know Li-li?" She demanded then looked at Lirali. "Is this guy bothering you Li-li?" Lirali wanted to burst out laughing at the sight of her sister looking so serious; the thought that she would attack the Zora without a second thought if Lirali said he was in fact bothering her. Lirali shook her head and was unable to suppress a few giggles.

"Don't worry about him Nori. He's not bothering me, I know him from working. This is Kael." She explained. Norali stared back at Kael, still unconvinced.

"Why do you know Li-li?" She demanded again. Kael put up his hands in surrender.

"I'm just a friend, I promise." He started, "I only wanted to talk to who I assume is your big sister." Norali squinted her eyes suspiciously up at him.

"I'm watching you. Li-li doesn't like it when boys bother her." She warned, her cheeks a ruddy color from straining herself to appear taller. Kael smiled and dropped to a knee so he could be on an even level with the little girl.

"I've noticed, but I only want to be friends with your sister." He said and looked up at Lirali. "And not just because she's pretty." Lirali looked away quickly with another blush and an annoyed expression. He looked back at Norali, still smiling, and held out a hand. "Maybe you can help convince her I'm a nice guy too." Norali stared at his hand, then at her sister, then back at Kael. She gave a half smile and took his hand then gave it a rough shake. Kael chuckled and stood back up while Lirali looked at him again, her blush gone.

"You were saying they built a fishing spot here? I had no idea." She said and tried to get back to the subject of work. He nodded.

"It was dug about a month ago and we've been helping build a small canal to the river so the water won't stagnate. They imported some rare fresh water fish breeds and now they just need the supplies to rent out. It's not a fun job, but it's been a nice change of pace from my usual routine." Her interest was piqued.

"Usual routine? I meant to ask, what is it you do exactly?"

"I mostly work for a fishing supply business but I take odd jobs now and then. When I'm not all over the Bay checking nets, I'm usually helping fix equipment and boats. I sometimes tag along on a consignment so I can meet new people." He finished with a shrug and lazily rested his hands behind his neck.

"Sounds like you're more of a handyman than anything." She teased and he smiled.

"I can't help it, I just don't like sitting still unless I have a good reason. Plus the money is usually good too." He chuckled. Norali tugged at the hem of his wrap and he looked down at her curiously.

"How do you breathe air if you're a fish man?" She asked. Lirali was shocked.

"Norali! That's a very rude thing to say!" She snapped and Norali looked at her with hurt.

"Nori wants to know!" She looked back up at Kael. "How you breathe?" She asked again. Kael waved off Lirali's protests and focused on the little girl's question.

"Magic." He said, his voice deadly serious. Her eyes widened and he laughed. "Heh, I'm just kidding. I have gills for when I need to breathe underwater, but I can breathe air on land normally like a human. Nothing to it really." Norali was fascinated but before she could bombard him with more questions, Lirali interrupted.

"Hold on a moment Nori then you can ask more questions." She said and looked at Kael. "Can I trust you to keep an eye on her for just a minute? I need to rent a cart and set up an order." He nodded and dropped to his haunches to talk to her sister who seemed to explode with chatter as Lirali walked toward the cottage. She knocked and the door was opened by the younger sister Romani. She smiled sweetly up at Lirali.

"Hello, welcome to Romani Ranch. My sister is busy, but Romani can help you."

"Hello, I need to rent a cart to take to the mountains and I need to pick up a milk order." She explained. Romani nodded and beckoned her inside. The little girl trotted to a desk in the corner and opened a large ledger. Standing on her toes, she flipped through the pages and ran her finger down several rows of lines.

"You said you need a cart for today?" She asked.

"Oh, no. I meant until tomorrow afternoon." Lirali answered quickly. The girl nodded and skimmed the rows again.

"Romani has one cart available with a deposit of fifty ruppees. Is that okay?" She asked and looked back to Lirali with a sweet smile. Lirali nodded and Romani turned back to the book and grabbed a quill. "'Kay. I need your name and an address in case something happens and we need to bill you." Once her information was inscribed in the book, the little girl shut the heavy book and handed Lirali a piece of orange paper. She looked over the paper with instructions on where to pick up the cart while Romani pulled up a new, much larger book from under the desk. With a heave, she dropped it on the desk. The rickety desk wobbled a moment but she ignored it and opened the new book.

"Romani needs to know what order you are trying to fill please." She said and Lirali pulled out the paper from Joelle.

"Here. It's for West Clock Town Sundries." She said as Romani took the paper and looked over it. The girl nodded and tucked it into the book. She turned back to Lirali and handed her the quill.

"Please sign out the order." She smiled and Lirali quickly scribbled her name in the blank. "'Kay, you can pick up our delicious milk tomorrow morning so please be back here in time to get it." Lirali handed back the quill with a nod.

"Sure thing. Thank you very much Romani." She said and the little girl shook her hand.

"Romani Ranch always appreciates your business!" She beamed and walked Lirali to the door. Lirali thanked her and started back to where she had left Norali. To her surprise, Norali was sitting on Kael's shoulders as he walked her around the boat while she shot off question after question.

"You two look like you're having fun." She said and Norali looked down at her with a grin.

"Nori likes Kael. He has a lot of stories." She replied giddily. Kael smiled and met Lirali's eyes.

"She's a cute kid. Is it Nori or Norali?" He asked.

"Norali is her full name. We just call her Nori for short." She explained. Norali leaned forward, her hands atop Kael's head and looked at her sister with excited eyes.

"Are we going to the mountains now?"

"Yep." Lirali smiled and the little girl let out a squeal that made Kael wince.

"The mountains? Why are you going there?" He asked and lowered Norali back to the ground.

"A job offer. Some big business wants to set up for the Carnival and they need someone to help move everything back and forth. Something to do with fireworks." She explained and took Norali's hand. "But it's first come, first served, so I have to hurry or I might miss it." Norali looked disappointed when she realized Kael would not be tagging along on their trip as Lirali led her to the stables to gather the cart. He walked alongside the two girls while the cart was brought out with a stable boy leading the mule. She started to lift her sister into one of the seats when Norali spoke.

"Can Kael come with us?" She asked innocently. Lirali dropped her a little hastily from surprise.

"What? No. He has work to do." She answered curtly. Norali looked at Kael with a pitiful expression.

"Can't you come with us?" She begged and he gave her an apologetic smile.

"I'd like to, but your sister is partially right. Plus, I don't think she'd appreciate me barging in on her business." He said and Norali looked at her sister with a pout.

"Quit being mean Li-li, Kael is nice." She insisted. Lirali looked away from her sister and took the reins of the mule and started to lead them away from the stables.

"I'm not going to argue over this Nori. I said no." She answered sternly. Norali started to sulk.

"What if we get robbed?" She protested.

"Norali, stop it." Lirali warned.

"She does have a point. It's a long trip to the mountains and you won't be there until evening at this rate." He shrugged in agreement. Norali smiled which made Lirali sigh in irritation.

"Don't encourage her…" She pleaded. "Besides, I can take care of us just fine." She said and turned her hip to show him the long sheathed dagger.

"I suppose, but what if a group of bandits come after you? One knife won't be enough." He warned and she stopped the cart to cross her arms and give him a serious look.

"How do I know I can trust _you_ then?" She argued. He sighed and ran a hand over his head.

"I don't want to be rude, but you're being too stubborn about this Lirali. I already promised that I had no ill intentions towards you, but you can't blame me for trying when it comes to your safety." He pointed at Norali. "Your sister's too." Lirali still had her arms crossed and looked at her sister. It would worry her less if someone was there to help in case she was robbed, it had happened once before, and she could not bear the thought if Norali was involved in such a scenario. She looked back at Kael but avoided his eyes.

"Fine. But if I feel even a bit uncomfortable, I'm making you leave. Okay?"

"As long as you two are safe." He answered and gave her a half smile. He held out a hand for the reins and she gave them over and climbed into the cart. With a tug, he led the mule out of the ranch until Lirali realized he was leaving the group he had arrived with.

"Wait, aren't you working still?" She asked.

"Not really. They just needed help unloading. I can leave whenever I want; I was just hanging around to fix the wagon and talk to Cremia." He said and she rolled her eyes.

"Of course you were." She said and sat back against the wooden seat with her sister until the cart had left the ranch. Lirali had suspected he was a bit of a rake when she had first met him since he had started to charm her the moment he saw her. It did not surprise her in the least that he would make a similar attempt toward the lovely ranch owner. Annoyed by that thought, she decided to ignore him the rest of the ride to the mountains once he had given her the reins back. Norali did the opposite and as soon as he was in the cart, she started talking to him again nonstop. Lirali paid little attention to their conversation and instead focused on getting to the mountains in time.

* * *

When they finally reached the mountains by evening, Kael sucked in a deep breath and let out a long, loud sigh of relief.

"I've always loved the mountains. The air is so fresh and different from the cape." He said and Norali imitated him by taking in her own deep breath and letting out a loud sigh.

"It smells like trees and flowers." She agreed. "We should stay here Li-li. It's so pretty too."

"We can visit again when I'm not busy, but I can't play around today. I'm already worried I'm too late." She warned. It was quiet between the three as she steered the cart along until she stopped at one of the many springs. She turned in her seat to look at the two of them.

"Can you watch her while I take care of this? It shouldn't be more than an hour and we're close enough to the village so it's safe." She said and Kael nodded.

"Sure thing. I'll make sure she stays close." He promised and hopped out of the cart. Norali hopped into his outstretched arms and waved at Lirali as she snapped the reins.

"Good luck Li-li!" She yelled. Lirali gave her a backwards wave and started for the Goron Village. Her heart had been pounding uncomfortably since they had left Milk Road, her mind overwhelmed with anxiety. As she entered the village, street lanterns and windows were already lit as the evening twilight set in. Lirali pulled the letter out of her pocket to find the address and steered the cart to the end of the village. She tugged at the reins when she noticed a very large covered wagon already parked in front of the Goron's store. Hopping out of the cart, she tied the reins loosely at a post and trotted to the store. Worry was eating at her even more and she could feel nervous sweat on her back. She abruptly stopped when a young man left the store followed by a very large Goron wearing an expensive looking cap. They paused to shake hands and finish what must be the end of a conversation that she could not hear. The Goron re-entered the store and Lirali was able to get a good look at the young man he had been talking to. In an instant, her heart stopped and her body went rigid. She recognized the strong handsome face and close-cropped curly black hair and her heart started beating furiously again, this time out of panic. She turned immediately on her heel to run back to her cart, but a voice called out to her and she realized he had spotted her.

"Lirali? Is that you?" The young man asked his gray eyes squinting then he smirked. "Yes it is. I'd recognize that face anywhere." Lirali felt her heart drop and she quit trying to run, too late to escape. He walked languidly to her and she turned to face him, her expression crushed.

"What are you doing here Drekan?" She asked and avoided his eyes as they lazily looked over her body. She hated the way he made her feel when he looked at her like that. He continued to smirk at her and it infuriated her.

"I would ask you the same thing, but I just guessed seeing that pitiful cart you have parked over there." He answered and brushed a thumb over his scruffy chin, sliding his other hand into his pocket. "Did you really think that a fireworks shop would trust you with all their cargo? Especially in a cart like that? You're quite a bit more foolish than I remember." He mused. Lirali dug her nails into her palms, his voice grating on her already frayed nerves.

"Please leave me alone. You beat me again so go bother someone else with how proud you are about cheating a woman out of work." She hissed. He only laughed and tugged her chin to look up at him.

"Aww, no greeting kiss? I thought we were friends?" He grinned and pulled her closer. "You know, out of all the lovely flowers I've plucked, yours will always be my favorite." He sneered. Lirali felt angry tears well up in her eyes and she slapped his hand away and shoved at him violently.

"Don't touch me you bastard! Haven't you ruined my life enough for one day?" She shouted. Her yells alerted two men that had been loading the covered wagon. One paused and called out to them.

"Hey Drekan! Everything okay over there?" The young man asked.

"Just fine," He called out and still stared down at her with a derisive smile, "Hey Muro, you remember Lirali right?" The young man gave her a large, mocking smile.

"How could I forget? Is that her over there?" He asked and Drekan nodded. Lirali tried to fight back tears but they had started to slide down her cheeks.

"Oh don't cry. It's not cute when girls cry." He grumbled in disgust. Lirali wanted to hit him, but it would not do any good. It would only prolong their reunion. Seeing her completely defeated he scoffed and turned away.

"Maybe I'll see you at the Carnival again." He looked back at her. "I'd certainly like another taste of you, brown blood." He laughed coldly and walked back to the wagon. Without thinking, Lirali tore through the village to put as much distance as possible between her and Drekan. As she ran, all she could think about was how much she had tried to never see him again. Away from the light of the village, Lirali collapsed under one of the trees to sob miserably, memories she had tried to forget resurfacing with ugly detail.

_I wish I had never been born…_ She wished.

"Li-li?" She looked up with a jolt and Norali was staring at her with worry. "Why are you crying?" Seeing Kael next to her, Lirali quickly tried to wipe her tears away.

"Nothing. No reason, I'm fine." She mumbled and tried to hide her face as she stood up quickly. "I, I didn't get the job. Someone beat me to it and I got upset." She lied. Norali believed her and took her hand. Kael was not convinced, his face serious as he stared at her. She avoided his look as she took her sister's hand.

"I'm sorry Li-li. Was it Nori's fault?" Her sister moaned.

"No, you're fine." She answered and forced a smile. "Did you two have fun at the spring?"

"Uh-huh. Kael was telling me about the kinds of fish that live in fresh water and the ocean." She answered as Lirali led her to the village.

"That's nice…" She said as she forced her body to keep walking and not collapse again. Kael followed behind the two girls, his expression wary. Something clearly had gone wrong, but he had a feeling a missed job opportunity was not what had made Lirali completely break down. As they entered one of the inns, Kael purchased two rooms without asking her permission.

"Consider it a thank you for letting me tag along." He said and winked. Her expression was still blank, but he saw her eyes soften. That was enough for him and he bid the girls good night and went into his own room. As Lirali turned down the bedcovers, Norali slipped out of her shoes and crawled inside.

"This was fun Li-li. Can we do it again?" She asked. Lirali sat on the edge of the bed and slid off her boots.

"Sure, but don't tell Milla about this. She doesn't know you tagged along and I'll get in a lot of trouble if she finds out, okay?" She warned and looked at her sister. Norali grinned and pressed a finger to them.

"Secret!" She promised and Lirali laughed softly.

"Our secret." She teased and turned down the lantern. Norali curled against her and Lirali stared up at the stone ceiling until sleep took her.

* * *

When she awoke, Lirali looked out the window and saw it was still dark but the red edges of dawn were creeping over the horizon. She slipped out of bed to gather her things and picked Norali up. She left the room and knocked at Kael's door as Norali moaned softly in sleep. The door opened after a few minutes and Kael groggily stared at her.

"Time to go?" He asked and she gave him a sympathetic smile.

"Sorry. I have to pick up the milk and be back in town before noon." She explained. He waved off her words and scratched himself lazily.

"I know, I know. Let's get this over with." He yawned and followed her down the hall. Dropping the keys at the front, they left the inn and Kael led the mule-drawn cart out of the village. They paused long enough for Lirali to lay down a blanket for her sister to sleep on and then started off again. As they made their way back down the trail from the mountains, Kael started to speak and Lirali stiffened; afraid he was going to ask about what had happened the night before.

"I don't mean to pry, but what is your relation to Nori? Is she adopted or is it the other way around? I'm just curious because you don't look too much alike." He asked and Lirali felt a rush of relief.

"She's my half sister. My father remarried when I was still in my teens and Norali was born a few years later. She thinks we're complete sisters but Milla insists that isn't the case." She answered.

"Milla? Your stepmother?" Lirali nodded and he looked surprised. "They way you talk about her I guess you aren't close?"

"She and her other daughter Joelle have never liked me much. It's not just because I'm mixed blood, but because of my father. He has trouble remembering the two of them, but not me. He does think I'm my mother sometimes." She explained. Kael was confused.

"Wait, what? What do you mean by that?" He asked anxiously. Lirali paused.

"He… He was in a bad accident five years ago. He used to work as a town guard, but he was injured when there was an explosion outside the Bomb Shop. A beam shattered in the explosion and a long piece pierced the back of his head while he was shielding a group of kids." She started, her face darkened. "We thought he was going to die, but he managed to pull through after the wood was safely removed. But the damage to his brain was irreversible. Now his memories are… scrambled." She said and her throat tightened. "Sometimes he has good days and will be up and about talking to us like he used to, but then… it's like his mind gets wiped completely and he doesn't know where he is…" Lirali could feel her voice failing. "But he always recognizes me… or my mother…" She choked. Kael stared at her sympathetically and carefully took her hand.

"I'm so sorry Lirali…" He squeezed her hand. She sniffed and wiped her eyes with her free hand.

"I'm sorry, I can't really talk about this anymore." She looked at him and forced a smile. "What about you? Where's your family?" Kael shrugged and looked away. He dropped back against the seat and let his arm dangle over the armrest.

"Couldn't tell you actually. I grew up in a shelter so I never knew my parents." He answered. Lirali looked hurt.

"That's terrible…" She said but he gave her a playful smirk.

"Don't worry about it, never really bothered me anyway." He assured her. "I stayed there until I was old enough to start working and that's pretty much all I've done ever since. It could be worse, but I'm happy with my lot in life."

"Do you ever wonder who they were?" She asked and he looked up at the dark sky in thought.

"When I was little I did, but not anymore. If they had wanted to find me, they would have by now." He said after a pause then chuckled. "Geez, Lirali, you have a habit of sucking all the fun out of the room." She glared at him and snapped her attention back to the road.

"You're rude." She muttered. "And I do _not_." He laughed again and they continued on in silence. When she neared Great Bay, she tugged the reins and he hopped off the cart. He looked up at her and she gave him a small smile.

"This was fun. Let me know next time you go on another trip." He said and winked. She blushed and looked away.

"Maybe…" She mumbled. He gave a small laugh.

"I'll see you later then?" He asked and she nodded. "Good. See you around Lirali." He turned to the bay and started walking.

"Kael, wait." She said and he stopped to look back at her. "It was nice being able to talk to you about… those things. It really does help to have someone listen." He smiled and winked again.

"Anytime."


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Sorry for the really long hiatus, several conventions came up and I was asked to do quite a few prop and costume commissions. Updates will be back to the regular Mondays.

Chapter 7

The sun lazily set over the sea and sent glittering facets over the waves. Lirali had rowed out on the water until the waves no longer buffeted her boat constantly and had been watching her line cautiously as it bobbed in the water. Kael's legs hung over the edge of the boat to touch the water and stared up at the red and gold evening sky. When he was not staring off into nothing, he went back to work on another lure to put in a pile he had started. Occasionally, he would steal a glance at Lirali out of the corner of his eye and smile to himself. It had been two days since they had traveled together and it seemed like the entire affair had warmed her up considerably to him. She had not been nearly as hesitant when she saw him and had even invited him along on her boat. There had been snippets of conversation before she had gone silent and he had started to enjoy the quiet between them. It was not awkward in the least and she seemed relaxed, but he had laughed when she jumped the few times he had moved around to get comfortable in the boat. He finished another lure and dropped it in the pile and tucked his hands behind his head to relax. Kael started to reminisce about the trip to the mountains when he remembered the amber he had given her.

"Hey, I meant to ask while we were in the village, but how much did that amber go for?" He asked. Lirali was jolted out of her concentration and looked at him curiously until she remembered. She looked away embarrassed.

"I… I forgot it was in my bag." She admitted. He scoffed and gave her a look.

"Really? That's too bad, it's worth so much I thought it'd be the first thing on your mind." He said. Lirali was suddenly upset with him.

"I was too focused on other things. It just happened." She said with irritation in her tone. He looked at her in surprise, then paused a moment and suspected that it had something to do with whatever had caused her to cry. Now it was eating him up inside all over again, finding her in tears and not allowed to know the reason. Kael wanted more than anything to find out what had done it, but he was not an idiot. He had made enough mistakes with women to know that if they did not want to share something, it was best to leave it alone until they wanted to. After a long silence, she sighed and he looked at her curiously.

"I'm sorry… I'm not angry at you, I'm angry at myself. I should have remembered before we left, but I was so focused on getting Norali home and getting the milk order. Plus, I was heartbroken about the job." She explained.

"Not qualified?" He asked.

"No, I wasn't there in time." She groaned. He pulled his legs back into the boat and sat up to take her hand and squeeze it. She looked at him and he gave her a half smile.

"It'll be okay. You'll get the next one. Keep telling yourself that." He said. She smiled and nodded.

"Thank you Kael…" She said then turned back to her line as he lounged in the boat again. With a sigh, she reeled in the empty hook and gave up on any fish for the evening. Putting her rod aside, she carefully glanced over at Kael. He was still staring up into the darkening sky and she tried to keep the sheepish tone out of her voice.

"I really mean it. Thank you for being patient with me." She started. He looked at her curiously.

"I promised I wouldn't push at you, remember?" He said and she nodded.

"I know, I know, but that's not all I mean." She continued and he sat up to listen. She swallowed and stared at her shoes. "I… don't have anyone to talk to… about my life I mean."

"Heh, I'd expect you to be surrounded by people." He teased but she did not smile.

"That's not the case for me. Normally, I'm happy to be indulged by work because most of my clients aren't human." She explained. "I'm not… someone desirable in town." Kael was confused.

"You live in Clock Town?" He asked. She nodded. "Oh. I didn't want to assume anything, but I honestly thought you were one of the pirates." She looked up at him with instant hurt in her eyes and he quickly backtracked.

"I didn't mean to assume! You just don't talk about yourself much and I had no idea where you came from. When I met you, I couldn't really help it." He tried, her eyes still hurt. "Come on Lirali, you can't blame me for that…" He reached for her but she pulled away and he took his hand back.

"I'm not a pirate. I'm… I'm only a half blood." She sniffed and her voice lowered. "And not enough of either one to be accepted by the Gerudo or the people in Clock Town." Kael started to understand why Lirali had been so guarded. Even among Zoras, the pirates were known for being not only an all female group, but a very beautiful group to boot.

"You had a tough childhood, huh?" He asked and she nodded weakly. "And it probably only worsened when you grew up too?" She nodded again and her hands balled into fists. He grumbled angrily and she looked up in shock.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought this up…" She said quickly and he raised a hand to silence her.

"I'm not angry with you, I'm angry with those people and how they must have treated you. _Still _treat you." He hissed. She bit at her bottom lip.

"It's alright. I was usually fine just being on my own. I had work to occupy me and then when Norali was born I could take care of her." She explained. "I'm used to being on my own now." Kael was not convinced and reached for her again. Even when she flinched he took her hands.

"Well, you're not on your own now. I'm your friend and I'm not ever going to hurt you." He said, his tone serious. Lirali was taken aback, his expression solemn but clearly protective. It made her want to hug him, but she felt unsure and quickly tried to change the subject.

"A-anyway, don't worry about me. I'll be fine and I can just sell the amber next time, but it'll be awhile until I can afford to go again." She said and pulled her hands away.

"Why? You usually seem so confident about your money. What changed?" He asked, his demeanor changing since he knew she felt uncomfortable talking about herself.

"My stepmother started charging rent to try and push me out of the house. I'm out five hundred every month, plus the expense of maintaining my boat and any repairs I need to do, then there's my monthly mailbox fee. And sometimes I have to rent carts or other means of transport when my boat isn't enough." She explained. Kael looked surprised.

"Wow. How the hell do you pay for all that?" He asked. Lirali shrugged.

"When the pirates send me an order list, they give me a huge pay off and I save whatever is left over. But now my savings are going to rent and it's going to disappear quickly. The pirates only send a list every two months unless something happens so I can't rely on them. So I'm out hunting for work and I have to fight other delivery parties." She continued. "Normally, I can snag a few jobs that are regular clients, but the big paying clients want a better looking service," she grumbled, "especially with the Carnival approaching." Kael contemplated her dilemma, the amber at the back of his mind.

"What if you sold stuff on the side?" He suggested. She looked at him.

"Like what? I don't keep the stuff I collect." She objected.

"Not that. What if you sold discarded stuff? Like the amber?" He explained. Lirali shrugged after she thought it over.

"That's all I have though. Plus, I don't have the time or the means to collect anything." She answered. He grinned.

"Leave that to me. I find valuable stuff while fishing all the time. I don't mind splitting with you." He said. Lirali considered his suggested then smiled.

"Alright. A forty-sixty split then." She said. He gave her a less than enthusiastic look.

"I get the sixty, right?" He smirked and her eyebrows furrowed in annoyance.

"No, I do. I have to do all the running around." She quipped. He sat up and frowned.

"Hey, you don't know how dangerous it is to dive where I have to sometimes." He argued but she was unmoved and crossed her arms.

"I have to deal with bandits, roaming monsters, and dangerous terrain or waterways." She insisted. He leaned forward and met her indignant glare.

"I almost get eaten by monsters on a daily basis or caught in unstable currents that can break bones." He said firmly, but Lirali was not convinced. The two glared at each other for a long time.

"You won't let up will you?" She muttered and he shook his head.

"Not a chance." He answered curtly. She sighed in frustration.

"Fine. Fifty-fifty down the middle. Fair?" She asked and he smiled.

"Deal." He said and held out a hand. She shook it firmly and squeezed harder than she should have. He only laughed and pulled his hand away.

"Then let's get started tonight." He said and stood up slowly as the boat wobbled.

"Tonight?" Lirali asked and he nodded before diving into the water. He surfaced and pulled up alongside her.

"Tonight. I have a lot of junk put aside back home that I wanted to sell later but now you can do it. I'll meet you here tomorrow night and drop it all off. While you're in town or out working you can find potential buyers." He explained. Lirali understood and gave him a small smile.

"Alright, I'll see what I can do." She said and he smiled wider.

"Hand me your rope and I'll pull you to shore. I'd feel bad if I left you out here." He held out a hand and she tossed him the rope. As he disappeared under the water to tug her boat back to the cove, Lirali started going over clients that would be willing to buy from her. It was too late to go asking outside buyers for the night, but there was the Curiosity Shop. She was not fond of the owner, but he bought just about anything so it was a good place to start.

The sun had set completely when Kael had finished helping her pull her boat ashore. He had gone back to his home and she was soon past the gates and in Clock Town. It would be another two hours before the Curiosity Shop would be open, so Lirali took her time to wander through the decorated town. Every day more and more shops opened up while street peddlers began to line the walkways. The nights were normally quiet save for the barking of stray dogs, but now it had become a noisy city, something she had never been comfortable around. Lirali made her way into the main square and the sound of hammering and clattering wood met her ears. The carpenters had started work on the tower and bridge that would lead to the clock tower when it opened at midnight to celebrate the defining moment of the Carnival of Time. Lirali had seen it many times as child, but it had been several years since the last time she had gone to the festival. This year would be no different in her mind. She would of course go long enough to satisfy Norali's wishes, but then excuse herself with some kind of feigned ailment so she could hide in her room. For the rest of the night, she would watch the fireworks from her window and say her own prayers for the new year. If the carnival held any meaning for Lirali, it was a series of payments from vendors that needed transport. When she had returned from the mountains and then the ranch, her mailbox had been stuffed with a number of odd jobs. They would be enough to put a dent in Milla's rent and she might even have enough to save after expenses were taken care of. As Lirali pondered over finances, she realized she had entered the North district and was pleasantly surprised to see that it had been re-landscaped for the festival. It was overgrown with flowers and round shrubs and had been redesigned to look like a small maze. She was just tall enough to look over the still growing hedges and decided to try and solve the maze to waste time. It was a simple enough puzzle that had four outcomes; the playground, the fairy fountain combined with a game area for Scrubs, the path to the Southern Swamp, and finally the way back into the main square. It was an addition she was not familiar with and she had trouble stifling her curiosity to try it once it was finished.

_It's just a maze. Just go once with Nori then home._ She chided herself. Lirali wandered through the maze one last time and reentered the square. Enough time had passed, so she made her way back to the West district for the shop. The window was now dimly lit and Lirali cautiously slipped inside. She had never been fond of the shop since most of the items looked liked they belonged in much more affluent stores and she had heard rumors that thieves often sold their stolen wares to the man who owned it. Despite her unease, Lirali made her way to the gated counter and smiled pleasantly at the man in shades behind it.

"Evenin'," he said, "not much I'm selling tonight, but feel free to have a look." She made a passing glance then looked back at the salesman.

"Actually I was hoping to sell to you." She explained. His eyebrows perked up in interest.

"Oh really? What'd you have in mind?" He asked. Lirali slid the amber out of her pocket and let him have a clear look. He eagerly reached out when he realized what it was.

"May I… have a closer look?" He asked with an oiled tone. She instinctively held it out of reach.

"Maybe. What can I get for it?" She asked and his mood changed instantly.

"What're you askin'?" He grumbled.

"Five hundred." She replied and he balked.

"No way. Three hundred." He hissed.

"Fine," she said and turned away, "I'll find another shop."

"Hey, stop!" He snapped and she looked back at him. "Four hundred twenty-five." He tried. She crossed her arms.

"Five hundred ten." She replied curtly and saw an angry vein pulse in his face.

"That's not haggling! You're supposed to lower!" He barked and she shrugged.

"I'll keep raising it until you understand I'm not handing it over for less than five hundred rupees." She said simply. He ran his hands angrily through his thinned hair. He grumbled for several minutes then crossed his arms.

"Fine. Five hundred and that's it." He muttered. She grinned and returned to the counter.

"Thank you so much," she said sweetly as he counted the amount into a bag and handed it to her, "by the way, if you're willing to haggle with me again I can bring more valuable items in the future." She hinted. He looked up at her with renewed interest and she handed him the amber to fuel his curiosity. He turned the smooth stone around in the light for a long time and gave her a toothy grin.

"I might be." He replied and she turned away to leave the shop.

Kael had returned to the undersea cavern before the sun had fully set and been able to avoid dealing with some of the more dangerous sea creatures that often slowed him down when he returned late. He entered the long tunnel that led to the cavern and resurfaced after the maze of passages ended. His feet sank in the soft black sand of the underground beach and he made his way toward the small village carved into the rocky walls. The blue glow of torches lit up the village dimly and there were other Zoras still milling about despite the hour. He did not want to be waylaid by any familiar faces since he had a mission in mind to complete. Internally, he was cataloguing all of the items he had gathered over the years to give to Lirali when he saw her again. It would be too much of a hassle to force her to come to the Hall and gather them herself and he had no intention of burdening her more than he already had. He skipped steps as he made his way up to the level he lived on high above the village. All the homes had been carved into the walls and stacked upon each other in rows much like a set of apartments. He made his way through the narrow alleys between the houses until he finally reached his own. Once inside, he quickly went to his room and started gathering the items. Unfortunately, what he thought would take hours took less than thirty minutes and he was left with extreme boredom once he had boxed everything up. He left the room to lounge in the sitting area and stretched out on the floor to stare out the large front window at the glittering ceiling of the cavern. He pretended it was the stars he was looking at and tried to fall asleep, but his mind was too anxious to rest. Lirali was flooding his thoughts again and thinking about her brought him nothing but longing. The distance between them had lessened, but it was still too much for him. He wanted to be closer to her than he had with anyone else and he hated that he felt so impatient despite his promise to wait for her. His agitation was so great he did not even notice his friend Luka had entered the house. Kael was so deeply engrossed in his thoughts he could barely hear his name being called. He remembered the first time Lirali had said his name and he wanted to hear it again and again ever since. The way her mouth moved made him want to know more and more how it would feel to kiss her. More than likely it would not be any different from any other woman he had kissed, but part of him knew that because of how he felt about her it would be all the sweeter. He heard his name yelled again, this time in anger and accompanied with a kick to his arm. Jolted out of his thoughts, he realized Luka was home and looked up at his roommate in surprise. Kael quickly tried to calm the fire that had been slowly building in his loins but he thought of Lirali's lips kissing in places that made his heart thump fiercely and he rolled away to hide his reaction casually.

"Hey Luka, what are you doing back so soon?" He asked as he propped his head up on his hand and kept his back to his friend. Luka was no longer surprised but suspicious.

"What's with you and why are you lying on the floor? Are you spacing out again?" He replied and dropped his knapsack to the side as he kicked the door shut. Kael shook his head.

"Nothing. No reason. Just thinking." He answered and quickly sat forward when he realized how ridiculous he must look staring at the wall. Luka was not convinced and plopped down onto one of the chairs to relax. He looked up and stared at his friend again.

"You've been like this for weeks. Did something happen?" He asked. When Kael felt his body had calmed down enough, he stood up and sat in the chair opposite his friend with a cheerful smile.

"I'm just preoccupied." He answered as he kept looking out the window.

"What's her name?" Luka asked and Kael was shocked.

"Who's name?" He said, more forcefully than he had intended as he glared at Luka. Luka scoffed and leaned back in the chair with his hands behind his head.

"I'm not stupid, ya know. Plus we've been friends since we were kids. I can tell when a girl is on your mind. Who is it?" He asked again nonchalantly. Kael was annoyed that he had been so easily read.

"No one you know." He answered cryptically and hoped Luka would drop it. On the contrary, Luka's curiosity was piqued and he looked at his friend with interest.

"Oh? Not from the Bay? Where's she from? The mountains? I've heard there's some fresh water areas that Zoras have started flocking to." He started, but Kael cut him off.

"I said it's no one you know. Leave it alone." He warned and gave him a dirty look. "You have a nasty habit of going after any girls that I happen to like." Luka laughed and put up his hands in defense.

"C'mon Kael, I never went for the ones you were serious about. Honestly!" He pleaded, but Kael still glared at him. Luka sighed.

"I'm being serious. You've been distant for awhile, not just from me, so I was wondering what kind of girl it was that could distract you so much," he shrugged and shook his head with a laugh, "especially when Solana is around and trying everything to get back with you." For a moment, Kael had no idea what Luka meant, and then he remembered Solana. Lirali had so thoroughly rooted herself in his thoughts that he had completely forgotten his former flame. Kael had not thought about the exceptionally attractive Zora in a long time. He remembered she came from a wealthy family and was an impressive songstress. When she had first come to the village, he had competed with other males for her attention and finally won her only to have his heart thoroughly stomped on with her flighty and selfish personality. It made him ill to think about it since now she could not seem to leave him alone.

"Why should I think about her? She had her chance and pushed me to the side." He muttered and Luka smirked.

"Open season then?" He teased and Kael grimaced.

"You can try for her if you want, but I wouldn't recommend it." He warned.

"Maybe I'll ask her to the Carnival." He thought out loud. "I'd rather get with a Zora girl this year instead of a human one. They get weird about it afterwards." He shuddered. Kael looked up in surprise.

"The Carnival? When is it?" He asked suddenly. Luka chewed at his lip as he tried to remember the date.

"I think it's two weeks away, last I checked." He answered and Kael drifted back into his deeper thoughts. He wondered if Lirali had planned to attend since she had family who no doubt celebrated it, but he kept entertaining the thought of asking her out and showing her a night she would never forget. Luka had noticed his friend had gone silent.

"Going to ask your mystery girl?" He asked, pulling Kael out of his thoughts again.

"I don't have a girl." Kael insisted.

"You suck at lying. What's her name?" Luka grinned.

"I said there's no one. Leave it." He snapped and looked away in annoyance. Luka rolled his eyes.

"Stop acting like a little kid that has a stupid crush. Last I checked, you were an adult so tell me her name or I'll keep bothering you." Luka grumbled. Kael was silent for a long moment then sighed.

"Her name is Lirali." He answered and Luka smiled.

"Cute name, kinda sexy too. Does it match her?" He continued and Kael wanted to kick himself for giving in. He knew now that it was started, Luka would not stop asking until he was satisfied so he decided to tread carefully. He did not want to describe her in ways that would make Luka look for her and try to woo her. Since he knew Lirali was too smart to fall for Luka's charms, he still had a feeling she would be bothered by a strange man suddenly appearing in her life.

"If I tell you, don't go snooping around to find her. I'm serious." Kael warned and Luka slapped a hand over his heart.

"I promise to not find and seduce your current conquest away from you." He teased and Kael grimaced. He sat back in his chair and stared up at the ceiling as he started to think about Lirali.

"She's cute when she's happy about something, but most of the time she's got this lonely but attractive look about her. It makes me want to sweep her off her feet every time I see it. Her eyes are like gold dust and she's got a mouth that is made for kissing." He said and remembered some of his earlier fantasies. "She doesn't have a voice like most girls; it's low and soft with a hint of sadness. She's got a feisty side too, if she doesn't like something she sure as hell will let you know." Luka rolled his eyes and slumped in his seat.

"Ugh, Kael you sound so lame right now." He groaned. "Her body. That's what I'm interested in."

"Curvy in all the right places." He smiled and Luka grinned again.

"There ya go." He chuckled. "Have you slept with her yet?" Kael gave him a dirty look.

"I might be in love with this girl, idiot. Why would I blow it all by doing that? And besides," he sighed and dropped his head back, "she's too closed off to even think about sex right now." Luka was confused.

"What do you mean?"

"The way she acts around men. I can tell some gutter trash hurt her in the past and it pisses me off because I want to get closer to her but thanks to that scumbag she's more guarded than the Stone Tower in the Ikana kingdom." He muttered. Luka sat forward in thought as his hands folded in front of his mouth, and gave Kael a sympathetic look.

"Yeesh, now you really have to tread carefully. Do you really love her?" He asked after a long pause. Kael had never really thought about what Lirali meant to him. In the beginning it had been infatuation, but in the short time he had gotten to know her he found himself wanting more than just her body. He wanted to be a piece of her life that meant something. More than anything, he loved seeing her at the cove to greet him when he was done working and felt miserable when she was not there.

"I don't know. I don't think it's love, but I know I wouldn't leave the next morning once I'd had her. I'd want to stay and hold her…" He said finally. Luka gave a knowing smirk.

"Sounds like love to me." He teased but Kael scoffed.

"Even if it is, it won't matter." He groaned.

"What's that mean?"

"There's… boundaries." Kael said, deliberately being cryptic. Luka grimaced.

"Like what?" He asked and Kael struggled to find a way to explain it without giving away Lirali being a human. It was not uncommon for Zoras and humans to experiment with other races, but it was not the kind of relationship that was pursued in the light of day.

"Uh, it's a class thing." He answered.

"Class? So what! If you're this obsessed with her, it shouldn't matter and she shouldn't care either if she feels the same way." Luka said. "And if she's so guarded take your time and let her come to you." He urged. Kael gave a half smile when he realized that Lirali had indeed started to slowly open up to him.

"Ask her to the Carnival." Luka suggested and Kael smiled wider.

"Maybe."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The week had ended before Lirali had realized it and she was pleasantly surprised by the profit she and Kael had made selling all the junk he had brought to her. Kael had brought her a box full of colorful stone, a chest full of bizarre skeletal fragments, and a bag with a half dozen pearl necklaces. Lirali had felt most of the items would not sell, but surprisingly the Curiosity Shop owner had wanted all the skeletal remains, claiming that witches and eccentric customers were always demanding them. She had sold most of the stones to Scrubs in the swamp and she suspected they would resell it all at the Carnival for a much higher price to tourists who did not know any better.

"Since I don't see you every day, how about I leave all the junk in a safe place and you can just pick up later?" He suggested as he helped load her boat. Lirali gave a half shrug as she loaded another box that he had brought.

"That could work, I guess. What if someone steals it?" She asked, a look of concern on her face.

"If it's just the cheap stuff it's not a big deal. Most of this stuff is easy to find anyway. If it's really valuable, like the amber, I'll hold onto it and give it to you in person." He explained with a reassuring smile. Lirali returned it as she finished and hopped back in her boat.

"Sounds like a good idea." She pointed to the jetty and he followed her gaze. "Just stuff the boxes between those two huge rocks. That's where I like to fish from the most and it's mostly above ground so it should be safe." Kael nodded and looked back at her.

"You sure you have to go back so soon?" He said, reluctant to let her leave. He had only seen her a few times throughout the week since she was taking care of the selling part of their partnership. If he had known their endeavor meant he would spend less time with her, he never would have suggested it.

"I actually have a client now and he wants to start transporting all of his wares tonight. I probably won't be here tomorrow since it might take all night." She explained. He sighed but nodded.

"I'll have to survive without your presence I guess." He teased and leaned into her boat. She stiffened when he took her hand and lifted it to press a kiss against her knuckles. A flirtatious smile was on his lips, his eyes inviting.

"Until I see you again, my seafaring maiden." He purred and she blushed. Lirali yanked her hand away as her heartbeat picked up suddenly.

"Stop that! Your charms don't work on me." She grumbled and he chuckled.

"I'm not so sure about that." He teased then turned toward the ocean and waved her off.

"Have a pleasant evening Lirali!" He called out and disappeared into the waves. Flustered, Lirali clumsily started her boat and made her way back to the main shoreline while she tried to force her heartbeat to slow down. She was able to push the feelings aside as she reached the shoreline and dragged her boat ashore. It was left in the care of the fisherman as she scooped up her cargo and made her way out of Great Bay. The boxes plus bags had been exhausting to heft all the way back to Clock Town, no thanks to the sand of the beach or the sloping hill to town, but once she had passed the gates a feeling of relief washed over her. Music met her ears as she entered the West district and she saw the buskers were still busy playing for passersby. At first, she had been uncomfortable at the influx of people, but now that the decorations for the Carnival were nearly completed along with the shops and peddlers set up in the streets and tourists already milling about, she could not help feeling pleasantly insignificant. She was mostly invisible thanks to the crowd and she liked it that way. Weaving through the crowd, she entered her father's store and was surprised to see several patrons sitting inside at the tables. Joelle was busy serving customers while Milla was behind the front counter and smiling sweetly. When she noticed Lirali, the smile vanished and was replaced with a solemn expression. As Lirali moved between tables and behind the counter, Milla spoke.

"I thought you were going to be gone all night. Did you quit already?" She asked. Lirali shook her head.

"No, I just came by to drop a few things off." She explained and hefted the boxes and bags she had brought back onto the counter. Milla was annoyed by the sudden noise and looked at the pile angrily. The anger changed to interest when she saw a necklace had fallen out of a bag. Lirali's back was turned as Milla lifted the trinket.

"Where did you get this?" She asked sharply. Lirali turned quickly and grit her teeth when she saw Milla handling her wares.

"I found it." She said quickly and tried to snatch it out of her hands. Milla pulled away to closer examine the necklace.

"This isn't something cheaply made…" She started and pushed past Lirali to open up the bag.

"Hey! Milla stop!" She protested. Milla dug through the bag, surprised at the volume of baubles inside. She looked at Lirali suspiciously.

"I'll ask again, where did you get this?" She snapped. Lirali's face darkened.

"I have a friend who lives by Great Bay. He found them and gave them to me to sell on the side." She muttered. Milla looked back at the bag and closed the lip after a small silence.

"How much?"

"I don't know, at least ten of them?" Lirali mumbled.

"Not how many, you dullard. How much do you want for them?" She said with an annoyed tone. Lirali was taken aback.

"You want to buy them from me?" She asked and Milla nodded.

"These are worth at least one hundred rupees and since the Carnival is in one week, they'll be a good tourist item." She explained with a crafty smile. Lirali was surprised but gave a half smile.

"Alright. I want one hundred and twenty each." Lirali smirked. Milla narrowed her eyes.

"Out of the question. You'll get ninety." She hissed and Lirali snatched the necklace out of her hands.

"Fine, but just so you know there are quite a few Scrubs in town that are willing to pay twice as much." She teased and Milla gave her a venomous look.

"You little shrew…" She grumbled, but Lirali only shrugged her shoulders and bagged the necklace.

"Have a good day Milla." She said and started for the stairs.

"One hundred." Milla barked and Lirali turned to smile at her.

"Deal." Lirali surrendered the necklaces to Milla after she begrudgingly handed over the money and could not help feeling a little powerful. As she reentered the café section of the store, she paused to talk to her step mother again.

"You know, I might be willing to sell more of those necklaces if I come across them." She hinted. Milla stared at her, an eyebrow raised in interest. "How about it?" Milla looked away in quiet contemplation.

"If you bring in another bag, I might consider selling it." She crossed her arms. "In fact, if you bring in anything that looks like it'll sell, I'll buy it from you. No haggling." She warned and Lirali scoffed.

"We'll negotiate on that later." She said and waved as she left the store. It pleased her to know that Milla was interested in selling her wares, but Lirali knew it probably would not change things between them. However she at least wanted her step mother to see that she could do business with her. As Lirali walked to the gate for the Southern Swamp, she paused to sell the last of her wares to the Curiosity Shop and deposit the profit at the bank. She knew Kael would not be impatient for his cut and she planned to give it to him after she was done with work, so with a long sigh, she made her way to the swamp with a cart in tow.

* * *

Her legs were shaking even as she steered the cart back to Clock Town and her jaw clenched painfully. It had not been a difficult job, one that should have only taken until midnight, but the Scrub that had hired her had been so frazzled about the delicacy of his pottery that he had fussed over every single detail. Lirali's patience was spent and her nerves frayed from having been up all night dealing with the overbearing Scrub but now she made the final trip to town with the last of the pottery. Still, he fussed incessantly in that high pitched voice and Lirali wanted nothing more than to faint into the void of sleep. She had been up all night with work before, but she had suffered from too many sleepless nights lately and her body could no longer handle it. With just enough strength to finish with the annoying Scrub, she was able to drop off the cart and make her way back home. The sun had risen hours ago and already Clock Town was busy with its residents, workers, and newly arrived tourists. Lirali slowly slogged her way through the archways until she finally made it to the West district. As she started up the stairs, she stopped when she heard a familiar voice. She peered through the crowd and felt a sweep of nausea come over her. It was Drekan and his posse she had seen in the mountains. Horrified that he might see her, she did not think and ducked into an alley. Terrified, she forgot her extreme exhaustion and started to run. She ran and ran until the fear passed and she stopped suddenly when she realized she had run all the way to Great Bay. The exhaustion swept over her again and she nearly collapsed onto the beach. Lirali struggled to remain standing just long enough to make her way to the fisherman's hut where her boat was waiting. Dropping to her knees, her body shook as she crawled into her boat, her skin clammy and cold. She was out cold before her cheek touched the bottom of the boat.

"Lirali…?" A voice asked. Her eyes slowly slid open and looked up at the voice's owner with dull surprise. Kael stared down at her and she realized she had fallen asleep in her boat. Her eyes closed again and for a moment she nearly fell back to sleep when she realized where she was. She sat up suddenly and looked around and saw she was still tethered to the dock. An exhausted sigh rose out of her and she stared at her feet.

"I… how did I get here…?" She asked as she ran a hand through her hair. Her eyes felt heavy and she felt a mess all over. "I don't even remember coming to the shore…" Kael gave her a sympathetic smile and untied the rope. He jumped into her boat and pushed away from the dock. Lirali looked at him in puzzlement.

"Wha, hey. What are you doing?" She demanded and sat forward. He put a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her back down.

"Nope. Go back to sleep for a bit. I can tell you were out all night." He said and an anxious look appeared on her face. "Heh, don't get all flustered. I found a junk collector that lives far out on the sea. He seemed interested in what we were selling, so I thought we could pay him a visit." He explained. Lirali then noticed the box and several bags in her boat that had appeared.

"What? Oh. I guess…" She answered and he smiled. He leaned forward and she stiffened instantly as his body brushed against hers.

"Don't be scared." He said, as his breath brushed her ear. She swallowed and started to tremble, her heart thumping painfully in her chest until she heard the hum of the boat's motor. Kael pulled away with a cheerful grin. "Just need to start your boat." Her heart slowed its pace and she felt annoyed by his explanation. Lirali realized her annoyance and quickly shoved the thoughts out of her head.

_Stop that. He's just trying to get you riled up again. You're too tired for this…_ She told herself. Kael noticed her silence and his smile changed to a curious expression.

"You alright Lirali?" He asked and she nodded quickly.

"Fine. Just tired." She replied and avoided his look. He stood up and she stiffened again.

"It's a long way to this junk collector's place. You're exhausted so take a nap and I'll steer." He suggested. She had wanted to decline, but her entire body felt like it had been stretched beyond its limits so she gave in. She nodded and let him move around her to the rudder while she curled up on the deck.

"Don't kidnap me." She warned, giving him a serious look but he only smiled.

"I'd only do that if you asked me too." He teased and she looked away, her cheeks hot. She closed her eyes as the boat started forward through the swelling waves. It was a wonderful, dreamless sleep, the kind that was so deep she lost herself. Until it turned ugly. Drekan's face appeared and all the terrible things she had tried to bury inside her threatened to resurface. She felt his hands on her again and he was shaking her. She slapped at the hands and she heard Kael's voice call her name in surprise. Her eyes snapped open and she was panting. She was paralyzed for the moment until she heard an old man's rattling voice.

"Is that girl dead?" He asked huskily. Lirali sat up slowly and she looked around. Kael carefully reached for her as an old man leaned over the edge of his long fishing boat to glare down at the two of them.

"No sir, just sleeping. It's been a long day." Kael answered. His eyes never left her. She pushed his hand away as she pulled away to the far side of the boat.

"I'm awake, I'm awake." She said softly and looked up at the old man with a groggy expression.

"Might as well be dead with that face." The old man bellowed and Lirali's expression darkened angrily. Kael saw her expression and quickly cut in.

"Ah, hey old man, you were interested in all the fossils we talked about the other day, right?" He said quickly. The old man forgot about Lirali and looked at the Zora.

"Yessir. How many you got?" He asked and Kael patted one of the boxes.

"A treasure chest's worth. How much are you willing to pay for them?" Kael replied and the old man pondered his options for a moment.

"I'll give ya two hundred for the box. What's in them bags?" He asked when he noticed the bulky sacks. Lirali peeked inside one and smiled as pleasantly as she could up at the old man.

"An assortment of colorful coral." She said and he turned up his nose.

"Eh? No use for that junk. Just give me the fossils." He grumbled and Kael nodded. He hefted up the box to the old man. He cracked open the lid to look through his newly purchased wares and smiled a crooked toothed smile. "Not bad. Bring me more when you find 'em." He tossed a bag into the boat and it clunked loudly. Lirali slipped a hand inside and pulled out two silver rupees.

"Thank you sir!" She called up to him and he sniffed unpleasantly, his smile changed to disgust.

"Never mind it. Get out of here both of ya if you don't have anything else." He grumbled and disappeared from view. Lirali rolled her eyes and Kael chuckled. He started up the motor and steered the boat back toward Great Bay. Once the boat was out of sight Lirali made a displeased noise.

"What a rude old man. Either he doesn't like women or he doesn't like women that look the way I do." She grumbled. Kael only smiled.

"Don't worry about it. He's old and lonely while you," he slipped a hand around her middle and tugged her close, "have me." Lirali was still as a stone then pulled away quickly as she glared at him and he chuckled.

"Don't!" She snapped, her face angry, but he only shrugged.

"I couldn't help it! You looked so put out…" He teased and she spun away to ignore him.

"I did not. Leave me alone." She muttered and he grinned. As they made their way back to the shore, Lirali noticed they were taking a different route.

"Kael, where are you going? This is…"

"The cove, I know." He explained. "I thought we could spend the day relaxing since we don't have any more work to do." Lirali smiled at that; a long lazy day at the beach to fish or nap seemed idyllic.

"That sounds wonderful…" She sighed. Seeing her relax so easily gave him a warm feeling inside and he steered the way into the cove.

* * *

"Hey, how about a game?" He suggested. She looked up from the rock she had been dozing on.

"A game? Why?" She asked. Kael shrugged and smiled.

"For fun. You've been busy with work and I'm taking a break from scavenging." He replied. She looked unsure and he chuckled.

"Come on, it can be a fishing game." He urged and she brightened at that until she narrowed her eyes warily at him.

"How's that fair? Technically speaking, you're the better fisherman." She answered curtly, but he shook his head.

"No, no, not my way. With a rod like humans. That way it's fair." He winked. Lirali was not entirely convinced but shrugged.

"I don't have a spare rod." She said and he waved away her words.

"We'll take turns. Whoever catches the biggest fish wins. How's that?"

"Sounds fair. Should we make it interesting?" She asked and he looked confused.

"How so?"

"A wager. Whoever wins gets something." She said. Kael flushed and felt his heart drop, but she did not notice as she leaned forward to pull her fishing rod out of the boat.

_Not sure what I'd ask for. Maybe a bigger cut for the rest of the month._ She pondered and Kael cleared his throat loudly. She looked up and noticed his expression, particularly the devious smile, and she felt the blood drain from her face. _I've made a huge mistake._

"I'm game. Let's play." He said before she could protest. He took the fishing rod from her, intent on going first so he could set the standard that Lirali would have to beat.

"No sinking lures!" Lirali demanded and he laughed confidently.

"Won't need it." He answered silkily and giving her a cocky look. Lirali did not like his confidence and scrambled off the rock to wait on higher ground in case she needed to run.

"Just fish!" She snapped and he grinned as he set to work. While she sat back to watch, Kael reached into his bag and slipped a small box out. Inside was a rare and specialized type of bait he knew was used almost exclusively by Zoras which he knew would give him a huge advantage. He knew fishing was her favorite hobby but he doubted she knew anything about competitive fishing. After all, it was his job. He cast the line as Lirali leaned forward to make sure he did not cheat. She watched him in pensive silence and he grinned.

"You're being nosy." He teased and she crinkled her nose at him.

"I don't trust you to play fair." She said hotly and he chuckled as she continued to watch him suspiciously, even as a small smile tugged at her lips. Kael focused on the task at hand, knowing it would not be long until a bite came for his bait. He knew only big fish would be attracted to his bait and he could not help hoping it would be a huge whale of a beast that would shock Lirali into surrender. The thought was barely out of his mind when the line tugged. He grinned triumphantly when the line tugged again more viciously. He braced himself against the rock and pulled hard on the line as he reeled the hefty fish to him. Kael could feel his prize in his grasp until he saw what he had caught through the water. Lirali had noticed too and a catlike smile curled her lips.

"Oh my, what's that you've got there?" She purred, but he ignored her.

"It doesn't count." He snapped when he reeled in the snapping, wiggling skullfish. Lirali burst out laughing as he angrily threw the menacing creature back into the water.

"What happened to all that confidence? I was sure you had me!" She teased as Kael glowered miserably. He thrust the rod into her hands while she wiped tears of laughter out of her eyes.

"You try then. This spot is obviously terrible." He grumbled and crossed his arms. Lirali only smiled and made herself comfortable.

"I guess we'll see…" She said and baited her hook. He watched her and realized in surprise that she actually did know what she was doing. She had chosen a rare and very expensive type of bait made from an even rarer, smaller fish that was a task in itself to find. He wanted to stop her, not just because he wanted to win, but because he knew it would be almost impossible to find such a thing again. Before he could utter a word, Lirali cast her line and gave him a knowing look.

"I know what you're thinking, but I want to win." She said with an eager smile. "I can't think of a better time to use this." A silence fell between them as Lirali's smiled vanished and she watched the water warily. Kael was impressed by her resolve, but anxious that she might best him because of his rotten luck. The silence was punctuated only by the laughing of seagulls or the cresting of waves against the jetty, but Lirali's extreme concentration had rendered her still as a stone. His anxiety mounted as he realized how deadly serious she was going to take the wager. It was steadily driving him mad as he tried to figure out what she was so intent on winning. He knew Lirali so odds are it would be money or perhaps slave labor from him. She stiffened suddenly and his eyes darted to the fishing line. It had gone taut and his heart pounded roughly in his chest. Lirali had already prepared herself and jumped to her feet to fight the spirited catch. Kael could not help but hope it was another stupid skullfish but as she reeled the bite closer and closer he was shocked to see a huge saltwater bass waited at the end. He did not know if she had seen it yet between the waves, but he had only seconds to react as she reeled the beast closer. Before he could stop himself, he hand pressed into the small of her back and he gave a powerful shove. With a scream, Lirali dropped the rod as she flew off the rock and splashed into the surf. She disappeared under the water and Kael did his best not to smile as she broke the surface. A stunned look was on her face and it reminded him of a cat that had been thrown in a trough of water. She looked up at him wide eyed and then furious.

"You bastard! You rotten cheat, how dare you!" She shrieked and he burst out laughing, then gave her an innocent look.

"Did you slip and fall Lirali? How unfortunate!" He laughed. "Looks like I win since I at least caught_ something_." He teased. Lirali gave him a dirty look and grabbed one of his legs. She yanked hard and he plummeted clumsily off the rock. He was still smiling when he surfaced.

"No one likes a sore loser, Lirali." He grinned as she continued to glare.

"You're a dirty, rotten cheat. I was going to win and you know it." She snapped. He shrugged.

"We'll never know now." He mused and Lirali scoffed and turned to swim away. She grabbed her sinking rod and paddled for the shore and Kael followed. Her clothes dripped with sea water as she trudged through the soft sand and continued to shoot him irritated looks. Kael was too busy to notice, unable to keep from staring at how her damp clothes clung to her like a second skin. His loins ached with desire, but he forced himself to ignore what nature insisted he should do. Lirali tossed her fishing rod into her boat and started to haul it off the shore. Kael realized she was truly upset with him.

"Aw, don't be so mad Lirali. How about a tie then? We can both have half of whatever we wanted?" He tried. She paused after a moment and looked at him. He tried to give her his most pathetic, pleading look he could manage and she rolled her eyes.

"Fine." She said, and she dropped the rope as she crossed her arms. "I want five percent more of our sales until the end of the month." She grinned deviously and he looked appalled. "That's only half of what I originally wanted." He grumbled and held out his hand. Lirali took it and was about to shake it when he yanked her against him. She gasped as he blew softly against her ear then kissed her on the corner of her mouth. She tried to make a noise, but her voice had dried up in her throat as he pressed another kiss to her ear.

"Well this is only half of what I originally wanted." He countered and let her slip from his arms and stumble backwards. She was red faced and shocked, a hand pressed to the cheek he had violated. He gave her a sly smile and crossed his arms.

"Even?" He asked and she looked angry all over again.

"You're a rake and a pervert!" She shouted as she clamored noisily into her boat, her heart pounding wildly. "I have half a mind to knock you around with an oar!" She continued as she started the motor. He continued to smile as she hummed away.

"I might see you tomorrow if I feel like it!" She threatened as she steadily disappeared around the rocks and he let out a hearty laugh.


End file.
